How often do you daydream or even allow yourself to get bored? It turns out thereâs a lot of value in letting our minds wander. Daniel Goleman calls this âopen awarenessâ and says when our minds wander weâre free to constructively envision our futureâessential for planning and...
âThe greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.â William James, Philosopher, and Psychologist.Stress in the workplace can have damaging effects, such as stifling creativity and risk aversion. When we operate under pressure, we shift into survival mode and in this mode of perception, we can have a much harder time thinking creatively and seeing things with a broader, longer-term lens. Similarly, when your associates are stressed, they tend to avoid taking risks and have a hard time thinking creatively, which ultimately affects their potential.
Growth was seen as an endless series of daily choices and decisions in each of which one can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.Abraham H. Maslow[1. Abraham H. Maslow, The Psychology of Science: A Reconnaissance, 1966.]
If youâre comfortable, youâre not growing. Itâs the uncomfortable things that make us grow.
The same is true of business: companies that embrace discomfort as a regular part of business life are more likely to achieve their goals and move closer and closer to fulfilling their company vision than those that donât.
Companies that stay comfortableâwhich feels great in the momentâend up losing in the long run, which doesnât feel so great.
Discomfort is a prerequisite for change.
Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.George Lois, Damn Good AdviceWhen Leon Battista Alberti declared, âA man can do all things if he will,â he condensed the ideals of the Renaissance into the figure of the Renaissance Manâa person with knowledge of a wide range of subjects. Since then, knowledge has become very specialized and having the breadth of knowledge in the wide range of subjects embraced by Renaissance Men is impossible. The Renaissance man still walks among us, but we now call him groups. A group can have a collective knowledge that far exceeds the knowledge of any individual. Brainstorming, invented by advertising executive Alex Osborn, was designed to maximize effective and creative group problem-solving. Research on brainstorming initially failed to show an increase in the number and quality of ideas when compared to individuals working alone; but in the last two decades, research has revealed that brainstorming can be productive if the procedures guard against impediments that naturally occur like conversation being controlled by a limited number of individuals and shared data being disproportionately represented. When small groups of individuals attempt to collectively arrive at a solution through discussion, great solutions can be uncovered.
Being creative is essential to business: it provides the edge to beat the competition. In an increasingly competitive market, creative thinking is no longer solely the function of departments like advertising and product development; it is now necessary for everyone in the organization.
By following these ten tips derived from our creativity workshop, you will increase your creativity and help your company get ahead.
THE BIG IDEA: Creativity doesnât happen in a flash of insight; itâs the result of a lifetime of learning.
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Most businesses isolate creativity to specific parts of the organization; they treat it as if only a chosen few can tap into the mystical force of creativity. Part of this stems from a belief that only some departments can benefit from creative thinking. But, great businesses know that creative solutions can come from anywhere within the organization. The other part is the result of the way we believe creativity happens: in a flash of insight that only happens to a chosen few.Donât search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer. Ranier Maria Rilke, Letters To A Young PoetToo often people jump to the answer before fully understanding the question. I see this happen with companies often, especially in âbrainstormingâ meetings and customer interviews. Most âbrainstormingâ meetings I attend look something like this: somebody presents a loosely defined goal, a few solutions are presented, the majority of the group jumps at one of the solutions early on, and then explores that solution. Not only isnât this true brainstormingâbrainstorming involves clearly defined problems and getting as many ideas out as possible without evaluationâit can never hope to produce a great solution: ill-defined problems lead to weak solutions.
âChoose a job that you love and youâll never work a day in your life.â I think weâve all heard that before. But, I think itâs bullshit. I love cooking, owning restaurants, and working with people every day. But, itâs very difficult at times. Itâs long hours standing on your feet, doing repetitive tasks. Itâs late nights and early mornings. Itâs being behind the scenes. And, itâs a thankless job sometimes. But, itâs something that I truly love. Itâs something that brings me happiness every day and itâs a happiness that I can share.
THE BIG IDEA: Play is essential for creativity, collaboration, and positive mental health. This article explores how a more playful attitude can elevate your business.
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Somehow, many of us have come to associate business with seriousness. The mindset is: Playfulness is childish. Adults are serious; business professionals even more so. When you were a child, your parents might have told you: âStop playing around!â And you just might have listened too well. Play and playfulness, however, are incredibly important for both your work and your organization.
THE BIG IDEA: The imagination is perhaps your most underutilized resource that, if tapped, can transform your organization through innovation and forever alter the course of your business.
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In a 1929 interview, Albert Einstein said: âImagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.â Do you think he was correct?