Here's how you can fuel creativity and innovation by collaborating across disciplines in mid-career.

Embracing diversity means welcoming different perspectives and backgrounds. It's about learning from each other's unique experiences, which sparks creativity and opens doors to innovative solutions that we wouldn't discover on our own.

Celebrating differences is key to success in any team or company. From an early age we are taught that the world would be a boring place if everybody was like us. Sometimes it is seemingly lost in a company when hiring practices repeatedly bring in the same talent from the same universities or only hire and promote within. While values such as integrity, inclusivity, and charity should be identified and promoted depending on the job, diversity in educational backgrounds, ethnicity, race, experience, ability, age, etc. is essential to achieve maximum performance.

At the beginning my corporate career, I took tremendous risks to achieve big results and business impact. This was mid way through my 'work experience.' It was a huge opportunity to work for a Fortune 100 company post my Ad Agency life. I know why...no one else was and we were getting the 'same' results, which, were not peak performance. Digging deeper into the creative well helped bring more brand awareness, preference and accelerated sales. I loved the 'western' product show I set up for our partners to the first sports marketing partnership with the Boston Celtics for our corporation that I helped design and implement. I would not have achieved these creative results without colleagues/boss that supported my ideas! GO get creative!

Synergy is like blending talents and ideas to create something amazing together. It's about finding that perfect mix where everyone's strengths complement each other, leading to innovations that surprise and exceed expectations.

Seeking synergy and maximum creativity in a project or team can take some time. The time comes from creating a safe place to share ideas with many people, including the person "in-charge". The team lead, PM, or manager, in my experience, is imperative in fostering this environment and must repetitively show it is okay by giving praise for offering ideas. The first five or ten ideas might not be the solution but the dialogue may eventually lead to it. By fostering this creative and safe environment and ensuring each person is heard from, a team can become greater than the sum of their parts!

Building networks is about forging genuine connections beyond professional titles. It's like cultivating friendships where trust and respect grow naturally, fostering collaborations that are both productive and enriching on a personal level.

Knowledge-sharing is like lighting up a room with ideas. It's about freely exchanging insights and lessons learned, knowing that by empowering others, we collectively elevate our creative potential and inspire new ways of thinking.

Flexibility is adapting gracefully to change. It's about embracing new ideas and approaches, navigating challenges with resilience, and exploring different paths to innovation. Flexibility allows us to thrive in evolving environments and seize unexpected opportunities.

Adam Grant said something along the lines of don't get your ideas tangled up with your identity. Ideas should be flexible but your values should not. Be excited to be wrong, as it is an opportunity to learn from someone else!

Curiosity fuels exploration and growth. It's about staying eager to learn, asking questions that lead to new discoveries, and staying open to fresh perspectives. Cultivating curiosity keeps our creativity alive and inspires breakthrough ideas.

Beyond the essentials, remember that every interaction, experience, and moment of reflection adds value. Whether it's attending a conference, volunteering in a new field, or simply engaging in deep conversations, each opportunity enriches our creative journey.