CITL Increase your Creativity Presentation da Vinci approached situaons restructuring his problem by...
Transcript of CITL Increase your Creativity Presentation da Vinci approached situaons restructuring his problem by...
Ifyoudothissilently,youwillalmostcertainlygettheanswerwrong–as90%ofpeoplewhohavebeengiventhistestdo.Mostrealisethatyoudon’tneedtoturnovertheconsonant,sinceitisirrelevanttotherule.AndmostrealisethatitisessenFaltoturnoverthevowel,becauseanoddnumberonitsothersidewouldprovetherulewrongButmostpeoplemaketheerrorofcheckingtheevennumberbecauseevennumbersaremenFonedintherule,butinfactitisirrelevantwhetherithasavoweloraconsonantonitsotherside.Ifhowevertheoddnumberhadavowelonitsothersidethiswouldprovetherulewrong,sothisisthesecondcardthatmustbechecked.
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TaniaDeJongsaysoneofourproblemsisthattoomanyofustendtobemorele]-brained(logical,analyFcalandobjecFve)thanright-brained(intuiFve,thoughbulandsubjecFve),theupshotbeing,“CreaFvityhasbecomethemostendangeredspeciesinthe21stcentury.NeverhastheneedforcreaFvitybeensocompellingandneverhasgenuinecreaFvitybeeninsuchshortsupply.”WhichiswhydeJonghasmadeitherlife’sworktomoFvatecompaniestocommittofosteringwhatshecalls“thisincrediblestrategictool”tohelp“unleashthosevaluesaroundinspiraFon,courageandpassionandthoseoutcomesofwellbeingandleadership.”
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AccordingtoTaniaDeJongcreaFvityextendswaybeyondtheartstoeveryfacetoflifedependingonone’soutlook.AsdeJongsays,“CreaFvityisaboutnewideasandthinkingaboutdoingthingsdifferentlyandsolvingproblems.”
deJonghaspreparedalistofwhatsheregardsasthekeya%ributesofinnovatorsandgreatteams.CuriosityVisionaryandhighlyimaginaFvethinking
PersistenceCourage
AdaptabilityandflexibilityCommitmenttolearningthedesireforimprovement,efficienciesandenhancedexperiences;
TeamworkandcollaboraFonTrustListening
andperhapsmostimportantly,anemphasisonencouragingdiversityofthought.
Aproposthela%er,shesays,“IbelieveinthepowerofwhatIcallposiFvehumancollisions,thatiscollidingwithpeopleyou’dnevermeetinthenormalcourseoflifeanddeliberatelyseekingtobuildbridgeswith[them].”
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Blindness~AcataractbuildsoverFmeanditseffectsbecomeobviousslowlybecausethechangegoesalmostunnoFcedunFlthecataractreducesvisionsignificantly.LikewisethehabitsandrouFneswithwhichweapproachsituaFonsgraduallyaccumulateunFltheysignificantlyreduceourawarenessofotherpossibiliFes–ouroriginalcreaFvityeventuallyyieldstorouFneandhabit.
a] KnowhowtoseeEachFmeyoulookataprobleminadifferentwayyouincreaseyourprobabilityofdiscoveringtheuniqueperspecFveorinsightthatwillleadtoabreakthroughidea.Geniuso]encomesfromfindinganewperspecFveno-oneelsehastaken-LeonardodaVinciapproachedsituaFonsrestructuringhisproblembylookingatitfromoneperspecFve,movingittoanotherandlookingatitagain,movingittoanotherandlookingatitagain–witheachnewperspecFvehisunderstandingdeepened.Bynotse%lingwithoneperspecFvegeniusesdonotmerelysolveexisFngproblems–theyidenFfynewsoluFonsOneofthemanywaysourmindsa%empttomakelifeeasieristocreateafirstimpression–theseareapttobenarrowandsuperficial–weseenomorethanwehavebeencondiFonedtosee–andstereotypednoFonsblockclearvisionandcrowdoutimaginaFon–thishappenswithoutalarmssoundingsoweneverrealiseit’shappening.TheexplosionofcreaFvityintheRenaissancewasinFmatelyFedtoarecordingandconveyingofavastknowledgeinaparallellanguage–alanguageofdrawings,graphs,diagrams,maps
b] MakeYourThoughtsVisibleTomakeyourthoughtsvisibletry...
• mindmapping• anyotherstyleofvisualmapmaking• deBono’s6ThinkingHats• rapidprototyping• communicaFonusingpicturepostcards• storytellingusingmetaphor
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c] ThinkFluentlyAdisFnguishingcharacterisFcofgeniusisimmenseproducFvityNaturecreatesmanypossibiliFesandthenletstheprocessofnaturalselecFondecidewhichspeciessurvive.Mostdonot–infact95%ofnewspeciesfailanddieinashortFmeperiodInastudyof2,036scienFststhroughouthistoryDeanKeithSimontonfoundthatthemostrespectedproducednotonlymoregreatworksbutalsomore‘bad‘onesThomasEdisonheld1,093patents–sFlltherecordBachwroteacantataeveryweek–evenwhensickorexhausted–Mozartproducedmorethan600piecesofmusicEinsteinpublished248papersaswellasthefamousoneonrelaFvityT.S.Eliotproducedumpteendra]sof“TheWasteLand”unFlpiecesfrommostofthembecamethemasterpieceweknowtodayGeniusesproduce.Period.
d] MakeNovelCombinaDons“Cogito”–‘Ithink’–originallyconnoted“shaketogether”“Intelligo”–therootofintelligence–meansto“selectamong”–ThisisanearlyintuiFonabouttheuFlityofpermiwngideasandthoughtstorandomlycombinewitheachotherandtheuFlityofselecFngfromthemanythefewtoretain
e] ConnectTheUnconnectedIfoneparFcularstyleofthoughtstandsoutforcreaFvegeniusesitistheabilitytomakejuxtaposiFonsthateludemeremortals–callitafacilitytoconnecttheunconnectedbyforcingrelaFonshipsthatenablethemtoseethingstowhichothersareblinddaVinciforcedarelaFonshipbetweenthesoundofabellandastonehiwngwater–andfromthishefoundtheconnecFonthatsoundtravelsinwaves
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f] LookAtTheOtherSidePhysicist&philosopherDavidBohmbelievedgeniuseswereabletothinkdifferentthoughtsbecausetheytolerateambivalencebetweenoppositeorincompaFblesubjectsIfyouholdoppositestogetheryoursuspendyourthoughtandyourmindmovestoanewlevel–thissuspensionofthoughtallowsanintelligencebeyondthoughttoactandcreateanewform–theswirlingofoppositescreatesthecondiFonsforanewpointofviewtobubblefreelyfromyourmind
g] LookInOtherWorldsAristotleconsideredmetaphorasignofgenius,believingthattheindividualwhohadthecapacitytoperceiveresemblancesbetweentwoseparateareasofexistencewasapersonofspecialgi]sIfunlikethingsarealikeinsomeways–perhapstheyarealikeinothersAlexanderGrahamBellobservedthecomparisonbetweentheinnerworkingsoftheearandthemovementofastoutpieceofmembranetomovesteelandconceivedthetelephoneThomasEdisoninventedthephonographinoneday,a]erdevelopingananalogybetweenatoyfunnelandthemoFonsofapapermanandsoundvibraFonsUnderwaterconstrucFonwasmadepossiblebyobservinghowshipwormstunnelintoFmberbyfirstconstrucFngtubesh] FindWhatYouAreNOTLookingForWheneverwea%emptsomethingandfailweendupdoingsomethingelse–assimplisFcasthisstatementmayseemitisthefirstprincipleofcreaFveaccident–if–weallowittoprovokethequesFon:whathavewedone?-(ratherthanthemoreordinary:whyhavewefailed?)CreaFvegeniusesdonotwaitforthegi]sofchance–insteadtheyacFvelyseektheaccidentaldiscovery
AlloftheseideasandpuzzlesearliercomefromCrackingCrea+vity-crammedwithtools,techniquesandexercisesforboosFngcreaFvity…
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WaystoBuildYourCreaDveDiscipline
MakeDme.SetFmeasidetoworkonyourproject.IncorporateacreaFveenvironmentthatbringsinspiraFon,moFvaFonandcomfort.“Oneveryimportantaspectofmo7va7onisthewillingnesstostopandtolookatthingsthatnooneelsehasbotheredtolookat.Thissimpleprocessoffocusingonthingsthatarenormallytakenforgrantedisapowerfulsourceofcrea7vity.”–EdwarddeBono
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Overcomeanyself-doubt.“Theworstenemytocrea7vityisselfdoubt.”–SylviaPlath
Self-doubtisamentalblockthatwipesoutcreaFvity.Ifyouarenotoriousforhavingselfdoubt,trythisexercisetoopenupthefloodgatesofcreaFvity.Pictureyourfinishedproject.Whatdoesitfeellike?Whomhasitinspired?Pictureitvividly,smellit,tasteit,feelit.Nowtakeamentalpicture.Thisisnowyourmentalmodelthat’sa%achedtothisproject.Whenthedoubtcreepsin,pullthispictureandthefeelinga%achedtoitintoyourconsciousmind.Yourself-doubtshouldcrumbleaway.
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Incubate.Brainstormingistheconsciousprocess;incubaFngisthesubconsciousprocess.ThisiswherethemajorityofcreaFvitycomesfrom.IfyoureallywanttoboostyourcreaFvity,takeabreakfromyourprojecta]erbrainstormingsothatyoursubconsciouscanbringforthideas.LiterallysleeponitifyouhaveFmeandseewhatahugedifferencethismakesBehaviouralpsychologyexpert,SamMcNerneynotesthat“psychologistsasrecentasthe1980sbeganstudyingmomentsofinsightempirically.AkeyfindingwasthattheunconsciousmindwasaneffecFveproblemsolver.“Researchhasconfirmedancientwisdom:whenitcomestocrea7vebreakthroughs,it’sbeEertorelaxandlettheunconsciousminddothework…Whenitcomestoinsight-basedsolu7onsthebeststrategyistoletyourunconsciousminddothework.”
MasteringtheartofcreaFvitysimplymeanscombiningthementalstrengthtouFlisebothyourconsciousandunconsciousmind.Inthe1960spoetTedHughesgaveaseriesoftalkstoyoungpeopleontheradioaboutwriFng.Inoneofthese,hedescribedverybeauFfullythisqualityofgentlea%enFvenesstoone’sownmind.
Atschool…IbecameveryinterestedinthosethoughtsofminethatIcouldnevercatch.Some7mestheywerehardlywhatyoucouldcallathought–theywereadimsortofafeelingaboutsomething…[and]forthemostparttheywereuselesstomebecauseIcouldnevergetholdofthem.Mostpeoplehavethesametrouble.Whatthoughtstheyhavearejustflee7ngthoughts–justaflashofit,themgone–or,thoughtheyknowtheyknowsomething,orhaveideasaboutsomething,theyjustcannotdigthoseideasupwhentheyarewanted.Theirminds,infact,seemoutoftheirreach…Thethinkingprocessbywhichwebreakintothatinnerlife…isthekindofthinkingwehavetolearn,andifwedonotsomehowlearnit,ourmindslieinuslikefishinthepondofamanwhocannotfish…PerhapsIoughtnottocallitthinkingatall.Iamtalkingaboutwhateverkindoftrickorskillitisthatenablesustocatchtheseelusiveorshadowythoughts,andcollectthemtogether,andholdthems7llsowecangetareallygoodlookatthem.
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IncubaFonconFnued…
Hughesgoesontosaythatheisnotverygoodatthiskindofmentalfishing,butthatwhatskillhedoeshaveheacquired,notatschool,butthrough…fishing:literallycoarsefishingwitharodandafloat.Whenyouarespendinghoursgazingattheredoryellowdotinthewaterinfrontofyou,allthenormalli%lenaggingimpulsesthatarecompeFngforyoura%enFongraduallydissolveawayandyouarele]withthewholefieldofyourawarenessresFnglightlybutverya%enFvelyonthefloat,andontheinvisibleautonomousworldofwaterthingssuspendedbelowit,andmoving–perhaps–towardsthesurfaceandtowardsyourlure.YourimaginaFonandyourpercepFonarebothworkingonandinthewaterworld.ThusfishingisthekindofexercisethatculFvatestherelaxed-yet-a%enFve,percepFve-yet-imaginaFvemodeofmindthatfostersintuiFon;andatthesameFmeitoffersametaphorforthewayinwhichsuchamentalawtudemediatesbetweenconsciousnessandtheundermind.
Buildconfidencewithbabysteps.Whenachildlearnstowalktheybeginbyfalling—alot.TheykeeppracFcing,andfalling(failing)unFlfinallytheycantakebigsteps.OneFnystepsetsthefoundaFonforabiggersteptomorrow.StartbyworkinginsmallFmeincrements.
Also,whenyoudoshortbursts,italsoopensupyoursubconsciousto“marinate”theideasyou’vealreadyworkedonandtocombinethosewithnewonesThisenhancesyourIncubaFonprocessandaddstothepowerofyourcreaFvityandproducFvity.
“Youcan’tuseupcrea7vity.Themoreyouuse,themoreyouhave.”–MayaAngelou
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Getallyourideasoutwhereyoucanseethem.Writedowneverythingyoucanthinkofthatmightworkorbesomethingyouwillneedatsomepoint.Lookatitfromdifferentangles.Forexample,lookatitfromthecustomer’sviewwhenconsideringvalue.Lookatitfromachild’sviewwhenconsideringsimplicity.KeepwriFngunFlyourbrainisexhaustedofideas.“ThinkleTandthinkrightandthinklowandthinkhigh.Oh,thethinksyoucanthinkupifonlyyoutry”–Dr.Seuss
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FightfearoffailureandrejecDon.Don’teverbeafraidofcreaFngjunk.ThemostbeauFfulmasterpieces,inartandinlife,beginaswhatappearsasjunk.YourmistakesandrejecFonscanbemasterpiecesforsomeoneelse.Whenyoumakeamistake,orarerejected,learnfromthatexperiencetohelpsomeoneelse.MostoftheFme,whenyoumakeamistake,ortrytohelpsomeoneelsefrombeingturneddown,youfindnewinspiraFonandideas.“Crea7vityisallowingyourselftomakemistakes.Artisknowingwhichonestokeep.”–Sco%Adams
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Keepanopenmind.Thesubconsciousmindisalwayscomingupwithideas.Theycomeinphrases,pictures,andsomeFmesinpieces,likeapuzzle.Stayopentoli%leideasthatcropup.Don’tdismissthemasstupidorridiculous.Writetheseepiphaniesdownandstayopen.ItmightnotbetheenFrepicture,butitcould,quitepossiblybeanimportantpieceofthepuzzle.Research,exploreandbroadenyourhorizons.“Curiosityaboutlifeinallofitsaspects,Ithink,iss7llthesecretofgreatcrea7vepeople”–LeoBurne%,atoneFmeconsideredtobethemostcreaFvemanintheadverFsingbusinessandnamedbyTimeasoneofthe100mostinfluenFalpeopleofthe20thcentury
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