Increase Creativity at Work: Tips from Nathaniel Mell of Felt+Fat

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Creativity: Some say it is a natural talent artistic individuals share, but on the contrary, creativity is in and is for everyone. Creative thinking can enhance any work environment by improving company culture, productivity, and morale.

“Creativity can infuse soul, passion, productivity, and endless innovation into business,” said Nathaniel Mell, CEO of Felt+Fat.

Mell strives for that each day as the leader of his ceramic design and manufacturing studio in Philadelphia, Felt+Fat. After recognizing a need for custom design tableware in the hospitality industry, Mell capitalized on that creative opportunity. The company blossomed organically, serving restaurants and at-home chefs worldwide.

Much of the organization’s continued success comes from Mell’s ability to continuously foster innovative mindsets and actions among the Felt+Fat team. So for those looking to level up their creativity at work, check out the insightful tips below from Nathaniel Mell.

Tip #1: Practice Brainstorming to Infuse Work with Creativity

Whether tackling an individual assignment or group project, brainstorming can be the first step to infuse creativity into work. On the days where creative blocks clog the collective mind, host a brainstorming session with other employees. This allows different perspectives to come together to contribute creatively toward a single goal.

Tip #2: Participate in Creative Workshops

According to Mell, creativity has the power to fuel growth in your business or workflow production.

“Felt+Fat is my business and where all my creative and artistic energy has gone for the last several years. We have gone from a tiny hole-in-the-wall studio to a rapidly rising ceramic manufactory in a relatively short time,” said Nathaniel Mell.

Investing the energy to exercise daily creativity at work can produce enterprising results. However, employees who have not always grasped how to tap into their creative side should consider finding local or virtual creative workshops. Workshops can help you learn how to use creativity as a tool. Moreover, they can show you how to access that tool when needed.

Tip #3: Embrace Failure

An organization that promotes experimentation and embraces failure best encourages creativity. The fewer limitations creativity runs into, the more vibrant ideas become. As such, this strategy and approach boost out-of-the-box thinking. Conversely, employees are more likely to hold tight to established processes rather than run with and test new, innovative ideas if the thought of failing sparks fear within them.

Tip #4: Stay Curious to Enhance Creativity

Instead of “curiosity killed the cat,” what if curiosity kept the cat creative? Well, it does. Moreover, the relationship between curiosity and creativity acts more like cause and effect. Curiosity can be the driver of anyone’s mental creative bus, leading a creative process down more beneficial roads. A study published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes in 2019 dives deeper. This report shows how curiosity as a state can ignite creativity and generate proactive ideas through idea linking.

Tip #5: Know That the “How” Can Come Later

When individuals, leaders, or teams get caught up in the “how” surrounding ideas, creative flows can weaken. Creativity flourishes when ideas are developed first and then implemented later. But if someone is trying to upgrade their creative process, focusing on how to put a new idea into a tactical solution too soon can dampen the ideas a creative side can produce.

About Nathaniel Mell

Nathaniel Mell is the founder and CEO of Felt+Fat, a ceramic design and manufacturing studio based in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood. In 2013 Nate was asked to design a set of plates for the award-winning restaurant High Street on Market. Since then, the Felt+Fat studio and team have grown exponentially through Mell’s leadership. In fact, it has become a go-to manufacturer for design-conscious restaurateurs.

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