Creativity: It’s In You!

Melissa EystadWorld Spirit Consulting

Session Overview

Definition of Creativity

Why We Need Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills

Exercise -What are Your “Creative Smarts”?

 

Methods and Tools That Develop Creativity– Graphic visualization of

your thoughts– Brain-storming– Think “As If”– Others

Team Problem-Solving Activities

Resources on Creativity and Problem-solving

Definitions

  Creative

Characterized by or productive of new things or new ideas: ingenious, innovative, innovatory, inventive, original

Possibilities 

Potentiality for favorable or interesting results, such as:

The idea has great possibilities.

What Are Your “Creative Smarts”?

Verbal/linguistic -- the ability to manipulate words in their oral or written form

Mathematical/logical -- the ability to manipulate number systems and logical concepts

Spatial -- the ability to see and manipulate patterns and designs

Musical -- the ability to understand and manipulate musical concepts such as tone, rhythm, and harmony

What Are Your “Creative Smarts”?

Bodily-kinesthetic -- the ability to use one’s body and movement, as in dance or sports

Intrapersonal – the ability to understand one’s feelings and to be reflective and philosophical

Interpersonal – the ability to understand other people and their thoughts and feelings

Why We Need Creativity

To adapt to changing situations, environment

To contribute our uniqueness to the outside world

To innovate, grow and develop

To solve challenging problems

To survive!

Remember:When you do what you’ve always done You get what you always got!

Barriers to Creativity

Being too busy or too involved with a problem Having conflicting purposes (Internal) fear of criticism (Internal) lack of confidence (Internal) state of mind/level of stress A boring environment that does not feed the senses Demands for quick results Harsh words (from others or ourselves) Rigid rules and barriers that prevent us from gathering

information or connecting with others OUR BELIEF THAT WE ARE NOT CREATIVE

Methods and Tools that Develop Creativity

Graphic visualization of your thoughts Brainstorming Think “As If” Others

Graphic Visualization

Mindmapping unlocks the potential of the brain

Gives you a “picture” of the problem—and the possibilities

Brainstorming

Define problem or issue to be addressed

Generate lots of possible solutions

Decide what criteria must be met for viable options

Rate ideas Select most promising

Think “As If”….

Forces you to examine the issue from perspectives other than your own

Think of a current work challenge Clearly state the problem Propose solutions from the perspective of specific

people

Other Ideas

Writing

Journaling is a great way to capture those thoughts and ideas that never get spoken. So is doodling!

Ideas on the run

Bring a small digital recorder with you everywhere, just in case you get that flash of inspiration.

Jordan Ayan’s* 10 Strategies:– Connect– Environment– Travel– Play and Humor– Read– Art– Technology– Power-thinking– Go inward– Find your creative soul

From Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas 1997 Three Rivers Press New York

Team Activities

Survivor

Fashion Show

Resources on Creativity

www.destinationimagination.org (global creative problem-solving competitions for children)

  www.higherawareness.com/creativity.shtml (free email

newsletter)

www.brainstorming .co.uk (more information on how to do brainstorming)

Creativity Web-resources for creativity and innovation at http://members.ozemail.com.au/~caveman/Creative/index2.html.