If you're looking for ways to increase business without spending money, you're not alone. Authors Cyndi Laurin and Craig Morningstar say your secret weapons against this down economy are those employees who shine — nose and all. Learn how your company's “Rudolphs” can be your ticket to success — and how to make sure you feed and nurture them all year long.

Rudolphs, explain the authors of The Rudolph Factor: Finding the Bright Lights that Drive Innovation in Your Business are the 10 percent of any organization's people who are the true agents of innovation — people who can shine the light exactly where a company needs to go in order to get to the next level. Basically, Rudolphs connect the dots that others don't see. Since they tend to identify causes of problems (rather than symptoms), they generate sustainable solutions more quickly and efficiently than their counterparts.

In finding these crucial individuals, nurturing them, and putting their ideas to work, you achieve consistently higher levels of innovation — and thrive in every economy.

So how can you discover the Rudolphs working in your organization? Here are 11 red-nosed traits that will help you find and nurture your Rudolphs:

1. Rudolphs are naturally creative. “Rudolphs may appear a bit eccentric to the people around them,” Morningstar says. “Don't be discouraged by their unique perspectives or unusual approaches to things. Instead, think about how you can utilize their creative and innovative ways of thinking to generate and implement ideas that will help your company.”

Nurture their nature: Be sensitive to the needs of their creative natures. Do they work better while listening to music? Would they like the opportunity to bounce ideas off others in the office? If you're not sure what they need — ask. You may be surprised at just how simple the solution may be — and what a big impact it has on productivity and innovation.

2. Rudolphs are great problem-solvers. Who are your organization's problem-solvers? They are most likely the same small group of people every time. And chances are those problem-solvers may very well be your Rudolphs. “Rudolphs generally have an easier time than most at identifying the root causes of problems, and because they are outside-the-box thinkers, they find unconventional but effective ways to solve them,” Laurin says.

Nurture their nature: As you look for ways to troubleshoot your way through the problems arising from the slow economy, your Rudolphs are great people to turn to for solutions. Make sure their viable ideas are shared at strategy meetings; and that Rudolphs are given the tools they need to problem solve. 

3. Rudolphs are big thinkers. Rudolphs spend an average of four to six hours per day (outside their regular work hours) thinking about how they can make things better for their organizations. That means that they can often spot trouble issues before they become full-blown problems.

Nurture their nature: In a time when everyone is looking for anything and everything that can help them survive the recession, your non-conventional Rudolphs can be your company's greatest assets. Make sure that they have ample opportunity to mull over problems and solutions.

4. Rudolphs are passionate. When someone is passionate about the work he or she is doing, it shows in the finished products. You can tell they are excited when the pace of their speech increases, they gesture more, and their eyes are bright.

Nurture their nature: Take some time each week to meet with your employees and talk with them about the projects they are working on or ideas they have for where improvements can be made. “Use weekly meetings to tap into Rudolphs' talents and ideas and to encourage their work and forward thinking,” Laurin says.

5. Rudolphs ask questions. If you've ever been around a young child, you know how tiring it can be to constantly think up answers every time he or she asks, “Why?” But in a business setting, encouraging your employees to ask, “Why?” “Rudolphs often ask, 'Why?' when it may not be the most popular question to be asking, which can make people around them (including their leaders) feel uncomfortable,” Morningstar says. “It may appear as if they are trying to rock the boat but that generally is not the case.”

Nurture their nature: Make a conscious effort not to squelch your organization's curious Rudolphs. Instead, encourage their questions and develop a dialogue with your employees that helps shed light on their questions, concerns and solutions.

6. Rudolphs wear rose-colored glasses. “In the business world, many employees experience the effects of an unhealthy business culture and lose the desire to make a difference that they once had when they were hired,” Laurin says. “But the innovators among us, the Rudolphs, continue to see the world through a lens of possibility, opportunity, and potential. Often, the opportunities presented are nontraditional or unconventional in nature something the rest of us may not notice or see as anything special.”

Nurture their nature: Don't be too quick to discredit or dismiss an idea or suggestion because it seems too idealistic — it might just stem from a potential opportunity you didn't see.

7. Rudolphs are not self-centered. “The red-nosed innovators in your office are not typically driven by self-promotion,” Morningstar says. “They certainly appreciate being recognized — and promoted — for their work, but it is not the primary motivation behind their actions. They do the work because they are good at it, they enjoy it, and they want to do everything they can to help the organization succeed.”

Nurture their nature: Be sure that your Rudolphs' efforts are rewarded. Make a point to let your Rudolphs know that you appreciate their hard work and that you've noticed the contributions they are making.

8. Rudolphs see the big picture. "If you want to spot the Rudolph in your organization's next meeting, look for the employee expressing frustration when others are putting band-aids on recurring problems, rather than focusing on the cause of the problem and a sustainable solution that will impact a variety of areas in your business,” Laurin says.  

Nurture their nature: Rudolphs see problems and solutions as collective entities, and don't like to get distracted by meaningless details. If you encourage Rudolphs to share their lines of thinking on company issues and new ideas, they will inspire other employees and help take your company to the next level.

9. Rudolphs think like entrepreneurs. The good news about the Rudolphs at your organization is that they do not want to start their own businesses because doing so takes time away from being creative and innovative. Instead, they prefer to leverage the name, reputation, resources, etc., of an organization.

Nurture their nature: “In some cases, Rudolphs will leave an organization because the corporate work environment can take its toll on their enthusiasm and natural creative thinking,” Morningstar says. “Take the time to recognize and nurture your Rudolphs from the beginning.”

10. Rudolphs are team players. “Although they may appear to be loners to non-Rudolphs because they have chosen not to play the traditional corporate game, most Rudolphs prefer collaborating with others rather than going it alone,” Laurin says.

Nurture their nature: Be sure to include them in team projects and pair them up with those who complement their working and thinking styles. And be careful not to single them out, give them preferential treatment, or allow them to become alienated.

11. Rudolphs are proactive. While some people are hesitant or slow to start, Rudolphs are confident to act on their ideas, sometimes without knowing the exact path needed to accomplish them. “Your Rudolphs have the ability — and at the very minimum, the confidence — to turn their ideas into action,” Morningstar says. “If they feel they do not have the appropriate skills, they will quickly gain the necessary abilities to transform innovative ideas and solutions into reality.”

Nurture their nature: When you know that a Rudolph in your office is working on a solution, provide the resources he or she needs to move forward with viable ideas; e.g., have the company offer to purchase that new computer program needed to solve the issue.

“Rudolphs are everywhere,” Laurin concludes. “No matter what business you are in or how big or small your company may be you can be sure that there are Rudolphs in your midst. The key is finding them.” Don't be quick to cast out or tie the hands of your innovative thinkers with bureaucratic red tape simply because they have a different way of thinking.

Cyndi Laurin, PhD, is an author, international keynote speaker, and founder of Guide to Greatness, LLC. She specializes in process improvement and performance management. She is also the bestselling author of Catch!

Craig Morningstar is an experienced senior-level executive whose background includes positions at Southwest Airlines and Charles Schwab. He is also an entrepreneur who has founded, operated, and sold several companies.

For more information, visit www.TheRudolphFactor.com.