Ask anyone to name a creative person and they'll probably give you a household name from the art world: a musician, a painter, a director. And it's true – great artists are all really creative people. However, creativity it is not only in art; it is a very important skill for many types of work.

In the business world, fostering creativity helps your company grow, as it can lead to innovative solutions to challenges at work.

Related: 10 ways to build a creative company culture

The importance of creativity throughout the company

According to one McKinsey studymore creative companies deliver better business results. This shows how important it is to intentionally build a work environment that encourages and supports creative thinking.

This type of thinking is important in almost every department of a company. For example, in software development, creative problem solving can lead to innovative features that improve the user experience. In finance, creative approaches can optimize budgeting and streamline processes. In R&D, it can bring efficiencies to code or discover time-saving solutions to complex problems. In HR, it can lead to new, more effective organizational structures.

from embracing creativity across functions, you empower all of your employees to think outside the box and make a meaningful contribution to the company's success.

Encouraging experimentation with the “fail fast” methodology.

In many workplaces, there is a risk of shutting down creative ideas that challenge the current way of thinking. To encourage a creative environment in your business, I suggest adopting the “fail fast” methodology. This encourages your employees to experiment and come up with creative ideas that they can quickly test. In my experience, a two-week test is an ideal time frame to quickly understand whether or not an idea has potential.

If an idea works or shows promise, you can take it further and scale it up. On the other hand, if it fails, you have minimized any damage. This method is not only about reducing risk; builds a culture where mistakes are seen as opportunity to learn and creative ideas are developed and supported.

It also shows your employees that you trust them to explore their ideas, giving them a strong sense of ownership and pride in their work and motivating them to keep coming up with new ideas to improve the business. your

In fact, research from BCG shows that organizations that promote a culture of experimentation see higher levels of innovation. Companies like Google have successfully implemented similar methodologies, leading to innovative projects like Gmail. If you give your employees the freedom to explore ideas without fear of failure, you'll set your company up for success—according to data from Deloittehigh-growth brands are more likely to have a creative culture.

Related: 4 ways to drive internal innovation that unlocks growth in your organization

The importance of cross-functional teams

In one different studyDeloitte analysts point to the connection between cross-functional teams and innovative approaches. Bringing people from different backgrounds together adds perspective to any discussion and can help you come up with creative solutions to business challenges.

I have seen firsthand how multidisciplinary teams solve problems better and faster and also come up with more creative ideas. It's an important part of building that creative culture in your company. This is why, for major projects, I like to work with a team model, bringing together representatives from different functions: R&D, Product, Marketing, Design and more. With so much different perspectives and areas of expertise around the table, it's easier to find creative solutions to any challenge.

Creating conditions to support creativity

Other aspects of the work environment also matter. Think of a child – they are naturally creative and love to explore their surroundings. They enjoy being physically playful, but they need tools to do so: pens, paper, clay, and other arts and crafts materials.

But it's not just true for children. Professional artists also need the right paints, brushes and canvas to fulfill their creative potential. And it's exactly the same for your employees – they need the right tools to support their work. To really encourage creative freedomyou need to invest, either in physical tools (a separate piece of hardware or audio equipment) or digital tools (subscriptions to cutting-edge software).

The degree to which you can do this depends on the stage of your company's life, but from personal experience, I've seen how the right tools make a huge contribution to unleashing creativity.

Related: Why leaders should encourage their employees to explore their creativity—and how to do it

Every company has the potential to be creative

Throughout human history, creative ideas have been the driver of business impact. No matter what industry you're in, you can embrace creative freedom in your company and use that creativity to help you grow.

But you have to be intentional. Build a culture that celebrates experimentation and welcomes ideas from any team member. Move your projects forward with cross-functional teams and give those teams the right tools.

Do all this and you will empower your employees to approach challenges with new knowledge and innovative solutions. They will feel more valued, enjoy their work more and be more motivated. It's a virtuous cycle.

With better and faster problem solving and happier employeesyou will soon see the business impact.