For a long time, creativity was seen as relating mainly to the arts; more recently, it has been extolled as the holy grail of business. Those two outlets remain important, but maybe it is also time for us to use our creativity for greater things.
Are we up to the task? We can take inspiration from an ad that appeared in "The Times of London" early this century. Here is what it said:
"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in the event of success." It was signed E. Shackleton.
Ernest Shackleton was looking for crew members on the quest to reach the South Pole. The next morning, more than 5,000 men were waiting outside the office of The Times, wanting to apply.
When the challenges are great, often we respond. Today, the challenges are great.
Now, a few items I hope you will find useful and inspirational:
A Tip for Meetings
The people running an educational innovation program called the Learning Exchange have found that writing big leads to thinking big. They suggest
having meeting participants write or draw ideas on huge poster boards rather than note pads. It makes it easier to collaborate and influences people to be bolder in their thinking and suggestions. It also worked for Walt Disney, who used to have a "Creators Room" with walls totally covered in paper on which writers and artists could write or sketch their ideas for all to see.
Action: Have some blank paper on the walls, or a large chalk or white board where you and others can jot down any ideas pertaining to your current project or activities. Put it in a high-traffic area (one you and others pass frequently) and record any thoughts, no matter how small, strange, or tangential they may be. Harvest these thoughts once a week.
Where to Get Your Best Ideas
A survey by BT and Management Today asked managers where they get their best ideas. Two-thirds of respondents said it was outside of work (only one in thirteen said it happened in meetings or brainstorming sessions). Here are a few locations you might try:
– In the bath (most of us take showers these days because they are faster, but a nice long soak in a bathtub is much more conducive to a flow of ideas).
– On the golf course. Golf is not a great exercise for cardio-vascular fitness, but it does allow you a lot of thinking time. Fishing is similar (you do not have to have any bait on your hook…).
– While doing repetitive exercises at the gym or out running. Take along some way to record your ideas as they come up, either a little tape recorder or just a pad and pencil you keep in your gym bag.
– During the commercials when you are watching TV. Use a brainstorming exercise: try to figure out how what you have just seen could possibly lead you to a solution of some challenge you are facing. Jot down any answers that come up in the minutes that the ads are on.
And a Quote about Dilemmas:
This one comes from Albert Einstein. Writing about the process physicists use to build up an understanding of the universal elementary laws, he wrote:
"There is no logical path to these laws; only intuition, resting on sympathetic understanding of experience, can reach them."
At this moment, everyone is looking for a logical response to what has happened, but maybe Einstein’s direction would be more fruitful. If you have any ideas to share on this topic, please let me have them for future e-bulletins.
‘til next time,
Jurgen
PS: My most recent book, "Do Something Different," has just been published in the United States and is now available on Amazon.com as well as on Amazon.co.uk.
Requests to subscribe (or unsubscribe) should be sent to BstormUK@aol.com.
We also welcome your comments and suggestions and we do not sell or share our mailing lists. Feel free to forward this e-bulletin to friends and colleagues in its entirety, and let them know we always welcome new subscribers (and that is free). (Contents copyright 2001, Jurgen Wolff).
Back Issues Sale! For a limited time (Until end of Dec 2001), you canorder back issues of Brainstorm (our printed 8 page creativity newsletter)for only £1 each! Choose from the following issues and print out the coupon at the end to order:
8. What Is Your Future: strategies and techniques for planning your life, based on the impressive work of a global think tank; A virtual interview with
Carl Jung, Also, the heart-mind connection, a simple technique for quick stress relief.
9. How To Get People To Do What You Want Them To Do: based on Robert Cialdini’s masterful book, ten ways to influence people. Also a review of light/sound brain machines, and the technique of "opposite thinking" with examples from business and writing.
11. Creative Time Management: a right-brain approach to time management, including why the 80/20 rule does not necessarily apply, why faster is not always better, and tips from the three top books on this subject. Also creative ideas relating to working at home; a useful decision-making strategy; and eight ways to do things better.
13. Using The Power Of Asking: ways to ask and get. Also the two types of people to whom you may be trying to sell your idea or product and how to appeal to each. Plus ways to get started when you are stuck.
14. The Power Of Language: a special ten-page issue on matching, re-framing, polarity response, the three-questions rule, and other techniques for becoming a more effective communicator.
16. Three Posters (£1 each): one on creativity, one on goals, one on productivity. Keep these techniques in front of you by putting these posters up in your office or work space.
17. The Power Of Image: key techniques for presenting yourself and your product or service; Also 12 time bandits and how to beat them, and ideas from Rollo May’s inspiring book, "The Courage to Create."
18. Do Something Different: key ways to think and act out of the box in order to achieve success; plus tips from 3 giants in business, and 6 creative approaches to problems, and 8 stress busters.
19. The 80/20 Rule: how to use Pareto’s Principle to get 80% of your results from only 20% of your time and effort. Plus success tips from three successful CEOs; Also; The Quotes File—inspirational and useful quotes; five more ways to cope with time bandits; the power of incubation.
20. The Power Of Dreams: practical ways that your dreams and daydreams can lead you to breakthroughs; 5 case studies of applied dreaming; tips for getting a solid night’s sleep; the power of full spectrum light.
26. Making Dazzling Presentations: techniques for making presentations that excite, inform, and spur the listener to action; Dina Glouberman reveals the secrets of using image work; case studies in how the do something different approach leads to success.
27. The Ripple Effect: Lizz Clarke on how to network without being aggressive; how to use "creative filters"; creative lessons from St. Luke’s, the innovative advertising agency; "eye contact" and " I contact", additional tips for powerful presentations.
28. Do You Have A BHAG?: two students of visionary companies reveal how to use "big, hairy, audacious goals"; a creative visualization technique for putting your vision in focus; Dr. Phillip McGraw’s ten laws of life; how to make affirmations more effective..
29. Robert Ringer’s Million $ Habits: ten habits that lead to creative and business success; a virtual interview with William James, on how to acquire positive habits; a 21 –day plan for success; five innovative ideas that may spark your own creativity.
30. How They Did It: advice from successful entrepreneurs; how to use the "why" strategy for problem solving; tips for right-brain time management; a design for creativity
; and the inspirational "invitation to life."
31. When the Problem is Solved: a strategy for chunking down & solving big problems; inspirational creative ideas; using new combinations for creativity; and ideas you can use for a healthy mind/healthy body combination.
32. Ten New Rules for Staying Ahead: especially useful for free-lancers; six tips for better learning; lessons from the MIT Media Lab; how to make the most of meetings, and a round-up of creativity tips.
33. Beyond Beliefs: how to challenge beliefs that may be holding you back; how to use the creative power of daydreams; the art of re-framing questions for problem-solving; round-up of creativity tips.
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