"My previous training director comes to mind. He encouraged all of his subordinates to be innovative and open-minded. We were given a lot of room to explore so that we could come up with new ways of solving not only training problems but also other problems in the workplace. He would conduct brainstorming events with all training professionals to help drive the philosophy that we should be initiators instead of executors. While I make it sound like he's a creative person, he was actually data-driven and analytical. I've adopted the same philosophy with direct reports. I always encourage them to step out of their comfort zone and learn what they can from outside forces. I like to foster an environment in which everyone feels like a leader and that they have a stake in the outcome."