When we are looking for creative ideas and new angles, all kinds of techniques to get us out of our normal assumptions, underlying ideas and ways of thinking can play a useful part (most of these techniques are also discussed in von Oech, 1983; and De Bruyn, De Bruyn & De Gier, 2000). The point here is to generate ideas and solutions in response to our question, without being blocked by shame or self-criticism. In the next two stages, these ideas are checked for soundness and usefulness. This approach has been called the Disney approach (Seymour & O’Connor, 1994).
To optimize our own creativity on a certain point, it is primarily important to formulate what we want as carefully and as concisely as possible. Then we let it sink in, in the way described earlier in this chapter. We can use the same approach to concentrate better and not be diverted.
Goals
Ĺ To practice different creativity techniques.
Ĺ To determine which techniques suit you best.
Ĺ To get some new ideas.
Procedure
Read the introduction. The brainstorming techniques you can apply in small groups, though in principle you can do them on your own as well.
The one who leads the exercise tells about the object of the brainstorming, the prob- lem to be solved, puts into words what that problem means to him personally and in- vites the others to state this as well. Then he introduces the first technique. Everybody applies the technique to the problem for a couple of minutes, then relates what this yields and makes short notes on this. When everybody has finished making notes, the next tech- nique is introduced and so on.
Imaginary Counselors
When we get stuck somewhere, it is a good idea to imagine how other people would approach the problem and what they would advise us if we asked them for help. These other people don’t need to be geniuses, though that of course might help. The important point here is that they think differently than we do. Stupid counselors can be helpful too, to the degree that they would give advice that we must not follow, but that can warn us about pitfalls and errors in thinking.
Think in this respect consecutively about:
Ĺ somebody you know who is very clever
Ĺ somebody you know who knows everything about the area to which your question refers Ĺ somebody you admire, a personal hero
Ĺ somebody who always makes you laugh
Ĺ somebody who knows your weak aspects very well Breaking Rules, Suspending Assumptions
When we are trying to devise creative solutions, our assumptions, convictions and rules often hinder us. We can solve the problem by acting as if these are not applicable for the moment. For example, what kinds of answers would come up if we:
Ĺ were completely ruthless?
Ĺ broke every rule in the book?
Ĺ wanted to bring about a total disaster?
Ĺ had much more time?
Ĺ had much less time?
Ĺ had much more money?
Ĺ had much less money?
Ĺ could count on everybody’s cooperation?
Ĺ could count on very favorable circumstances?
Changing Perspectives
Here too it is about freeing our creativity by departing from different assumptions. This time we do that by taking the side of other parties and examining what new insights those new perspectives provide. When we have a problem, the question would be: How would we proceed if we were:
Ĺ our own father?
Ĺ our own mother?
Ĺ our teacher?
Ĺ our competitor?
Ĺ our boss?
Ĺ our colleagues?
We also can approach this as if our personality had gone through a series of major trans- formations. So we can approach the problem as if we consecutively were:
Ĺ very perfectionist
Ĺ very sensitive to the needs of others Ĺ very freedom loving
Ĺ very goal oriented Ĺ very socially skillful Ĺ very creative
Ĺ very esthetically oriented Ĺ very theoretically oriented Ĺ very practically oriented Ĺ very careful
Ĺ oriented to excitement and new things Ĺ very power oriented
Ĺ primarily oriented to creating a pleasant atmosphere Using Transitions
Transitions imply among other things that we must abandon fixed ways of doing: we must adapt to another reality, for which we don’t have clear, ready-made approaches. In this way, transitions offer possibilities for creativity. For example, imagine how we would approach our assignment if we:
Ĺ had to do it in a totally different country
Ĺ were deprived of all contact with our close friends
Ĺ had just retired
Ĺ had just been left by our partner, or – if we do not have a partner – now actually had a partner
Ĺ had become blind or deaf Ĺ had just had our third child Left–Right Method
Write down a question. Then answer it yourself by writing down that answer with your other hand, the one with which you usually do not write. Do not worry about the quality of the handwriting. Subsequently ask further questions with your writing hand – ‘What about that?’, ‘What do you mean?’ – and give yourself answers with your non-writing hand, and so on. Other questions might be:
Ĺ How could this be done better?
Ĺ How could this be made more pleasant?
Ĺ How could we learn more from it?
Comments
Ĺ These techniques are applicable in organizations, but also in our private lives, each time problems occur in determining ‘what’ – goals – and ‘how’ – strategy, approach and tactics.