​As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a tool across nearly every industry, the ability to think differently is becoming one of the most valuable skills leaders can cultivate in their teams.

AI can process information, analyze patterns and generate solutions faster than ever before. But the breakthroughs that truly move organizations forward still depend on human imagination and on leaders who know how to unlock it. ​

Seniority can limit your field of creativity.​

After nearly three decades at one of the world’s largest entertainment and theme-park companies—leading innovation and creativity initiatives across the organization—I learned something surprising about experience: while it creates expertise, it can also quietly limit creativity.

I’ve written before about what I call the “River of Thinking.” It’s the mental current formed by years of past success, industry norms and deeply ingrained habits. The longer teams operate in the same current, the harder it becomes to imagine a different direction. ​

This is a leadership problem. ​Teams generate stronger ideas when they work in environments that encourage new thinking. and leaders play a critical role in shaping those environments. If the culture rewards certainty and efficiency above all else, employees quickly learn that unconventional ideas are better left unsaid. ​

The leaders who unlock real innovation do something different. They deliberately create conditions that help their teams step out of the current. To discover the ways leaders can make that happen, read the full article over on Forbes. ​

Photo Credit: Getty/Forbes