Tools for the Creative Minds

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INNOVATORSBOX

TOOLS FOR THE CREATIVE MIND

C R E AT I V I T Y S TAT S 60%

80%

OF 1,500 CEOS IN AN IBM SURVEY SAID CREATIVITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP QUALITY.

OF RESPONDENTS IN A 2016 STUDY BY ADOBE SAID UNLOCKING CREATIVE POTENTIAL IS KEY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH.

100% OF RESEARCH SINCE THE ’50S HAS FOUND EVERYONE IS NATURALLY WIRED TO CREATE.

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75%

87%

OF AMERICANS FEEL STUCK AT WORK.

OF PROFESSIONALS FEEL STUCK AND LACK A CREATIVE OUTLET ACCORDING TO 2016 RESEARCH BY GALLUP.

G R O W Y O U R C R E AT I V E S K I L L S The following skills are associated with a creative mind:

IMAGINATIVE PLAY

PASSION

DAYDREAMING

SOLITUDE

INTUITION

OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE

MINDFULNESS

SENSITIVITY

TURNING ADVERSITY INTO ADVANTAGE

THINKING DIFFERENTLY

From Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind by Carolyn Gregoire and Scott Barry Kaufman 3

C R E AT I V E M I N D S E T AND LEADERSHIP Everyone can be more creative if they practice regularly. The following traits are associated with being a creative leader and building a creative mindset.

CREATIVE LEADERSHIP PROBLEM SOLVING RESILIENCE CONFIDENCE INNOVATE SELF-AWARENESS HAPPINESS COMMUNICATION ADAPTABILITY

CREATIVE MINDSET EVERYONE HAS A CREATIVE MINDSET EVERYONE IS CREATIVE DIFFERENTLY THERE’S NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR CREATIVITY A CREATIVE MINDSET ALLOWS YOU TO LEARN AND LIVE A MORE ENRICHING AND FULLER LIFE

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C R E AT I V I T Y 1 0 1

C= ƒa (K,I,E) K= Knowledge, I= Imagination, E= Evaluation (Ruth Noller)

DO

DON’T

• Build on ideas. Try answering questions with “Yes, and...”

• Jump to conclusions. Try avoid saying “Yes, but…” or “No…” without considering all options.

• Expand your thinking. Ask yourself the 5 Whys (Who, What, Where, When, and Why) when solving a problem.

• Make assumptions.

• Defer your judgement. Have an open mind. • Ask ”How might I / we? ” (In What ways might I?)

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BETTER BRAINSTORMING Underwhelmed by your brainstorming sessions? Try these ideas to get creative ideas flowing!

REFRAMING THE PROBLEM Try approaching the problem in different ways for new perspectives.

CHANGING ROLES Role play as someone else (stakeholders, executives, etc.) and approach brainstorming from their perspective.

WORST IDEAS Come up with the worst possible solutions for your problem and try to turn a negative idea into a positive one.

CONSTRAINTS Create arbitrary constraints for your solution (time limits, materials, etc.) to produce more creative ideas.

”SCAMPER” METHOD Approach a problem using each of the seven prompts in SCAMPER: substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, and reverse.

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C R E AT I V E P R O B L E M S O L V I N G The creative problem-solving process of divergent and convergent thinking was created by Alex Osborn and Sidney Parnes. The basic idea is to first generate a lot of solutions and then narrow them down by evaluating them. To learn more go to: http://www.creativeeducationfoundation.org/creative-problem-solving/

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DIVERGENT THINKING

CONVERGENT THINKING

Going wide, generating ideas

Making sense of information, refining ideas

1. Fact Finding

4.

Solution Finding

2. Problem Finding

5.

Implementation Finding

3. Idea Finding

6.

Action Plan

IT’S NO COINCIDENCE THAT YOU ‘FEEL ALIVE’ OR ‘LOSE TRACK OF TIME’ WHEN YOU ARE IMMERSED IN A CREATIVE ACTIVITY.

THE THINGS WE FEAR MOST IN ORGANIZATIONS—FLUCTUATIONS, DISTURBANCES, IMBALANCES—ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF CREATIVITY.

MONICA H. KANG

MARGARET J. WHEATLEY

YOUR CREATIVE ABILITY IS THROUGH ACTION—TAKEN ONE STEP AT A TIME. TOM KELLY & DAVID M. KELLY

CREATIVITY IS THINKING UP NEW THINGS. INNOVATION IS DOING NEW THINGS. THEODORE LEVITT

CURIOSITY ABOUT LIFE IN ALL OF ITS ASPECTS, I THINK, IS STILL THE SECRET OF GREAT CREATIVE PEOPLE. LEO BURNETT

REMEMBER THE TWO BENEFITS OF FAILURE. FIRST, IF YOU FAIL, YOU LEARN WHAT DOESN’T WORK; AND SECOND, THE FAILURE GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY A NEW APPROACH. ROGER VON OECH

RESOURCES READ RETHINK CREATIVITY: HOW TO INNOVATE, INSPIRE AND THRIVE AT WORK by Monica Kang Regardless of your age, your job title, or your profession, it’s time to rethink your creativity. Learn how to enjoy your work more, be a better leader, and find new ways to be creative every day. CREATIVE CONFIDENCE by Tom Kelley and David M. Kelley Companies and individuals often leave creative work to “the creatives”. Learn how to unleash your own creative confidence for greater success and productivity. INGENIUS by Tina Lynn Seelig Demystify creativity. Learn a set of guidelines and tools to achieve your own ambition. THE ACCIDENTAL CREATIVE by Todd Henry In order to thrive in today’s marketplace, we have to be ready to generate brilliant ideas on demand. Learn effective practices that support your creative process. WIRED TO CREATE: UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF THE CREATIVE MIND by Carolyn Gregoire and Scott Barry Kaufman Get a glimpse inside the minds of highly creative people. Learn the practices and habits of the mind that promote creative thinking.

Creativity is giving yourself permission to see things differently. David Robert

CREATIVITY INC by Amy Wallace and Edwin Catmull Pixar was built in a way that protects the creative process and define convention. Learn from the founder how to foster your own creative environment. DARE TO LEAD: BRAVE WORK. TOUGH CONVERSATIONS. WHOLE HEARTS. by Brené Brown Leadership is not about titles or wielding power. Learn how to be a daring leader who develops people and ideas.

LISTEN ON BEING WITH KRISTA TIPPETT Make a new discovery about the immensity of our lives. Listen to big conversations about meaning with scientists, theologians, teachers, and more. 9

THE MOMENT WITH BRIAN KOPPLEMAN Fuel your inspiration. Listen to interviews about pivotal moments that fueled creative careers.

HIDDEN BRAIN Reveal the brain’s mysteries. Listen to how unconscious patterns drive our behavior and direct our relationships.

TED TALKS DAILY Learn something new. Listen to thoughtprovoking ideas on every subject imaginable.

RESOURCES WATCH EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP Learn the secrets behind street art. Watch a revealing account of what happens when fame, money, and vandalism collide. FRANCES HA Spark creative fascination. Watch interviews about pivotal moments that fueled creative careers. ABSTRACT Find design inspiration. Watch a Netflix documentary series highlighting artists in the field of design. MARIA ABRAMOVIC: THE ARTIST IS PRESENT Follow an artist. Watch a documentary about a Serbian performance artist as she prepares for a retrospective of her work at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

SKIM WHY BEING LAZY IS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOU Chris Bailey, 2018 www.time.com

The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas. Dr. Linus Pauling

FORGET A FAST CAR. CREATIVITY IS THE NEW MIDLIFE CRISIS CURE Laura M. Holson, 2018 www.nytimes.com HAPPINESS RESEARCH SHOWS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO CREATIVITY IS BEING TOO BUSY Emma Seppälä, 2017 www.qz.com WHAT HAPPENS TO CREATIVITY AS WE AGE? Alison Gopnik and Tom Griffiths, 2017 www.nytimes.com MANAGING MULTI-PARTY INNOVATION Nathan Furr / Kate O’keefe / Jeffery H. Dyer, 2016 www.hbr.org HOW TO CREATE INNOVATION CULTURES THAT KEEP WORKING Mike Steep, 2013 www.forbes.com 3 THINGS THE MOST CREATIVE LEADERS DO Tom Kelley, 2013 www.hbr.org

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