Think Like a Kid
My son just turned two years old. It is so much fun
watching him and listening to him as he struggles to
put words together into coherent sentences. He has
more creative thoughts in his little body than most
adults do. Children are incredibly
creative, they don't yet know the right answer or the
right way to do something so they experiment. They
try to make
connections with things they see. My son walks
around the house with his multifunctional toothbrush.
He uses it to clean the inside of the drain, clean Mr.
Potato Head, brush the dog, brush his hair and once
in a while he sticks it in his mouth. Yuck!
All of us
need to be more creative. We need to find new
ways, new answers, new ideas and
new methods to get things done. We can't solve
today's problems with yesterday's solutions. The next
time that you are in the company of a child, pay
attention, creative thinking is occuring at a rapid
pace!
Creative Problem Solving Seminars
Quick Links...
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Greetings!
So, here we are, the last week of April, and I'm just
starting to think about the April newsletter.
Last week, I thought about a seminar that I used to
deliver often - Creative Problem Solving. The seminar
was one of my favorites because the topic of
creative thinking is something that I am very
interested in. Some folks say knowledge is power, I
disagree. The ability to use the knowledge to think is
real power.
On another note, I'm finally wrapping up my work/life
balance book. The preliminary title is 60 Survival
Tips for Working Moms. A graphic artist is
working on the cover design as I write this
newsletter. If you would like to be quoted in the
book, send me an e-mail with a quote about how you
manage your work and your life. Have a wonderful
month!
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A Whack on the Side of the Head
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The first time I read A Whack on the Side of the
Headby Roger von Oech, I was amazed by all of
the stories and
examples. The book does an excellent job of
reviewing the creative process and challenging the
reader to be more creative on a daily basis. Most of
us have spent years developing the left side of the
brain (the analytical, logical side), and not nearly
enough on the right side.
We need to be creative because our world is
constantly changing and we need to come up with
new, creative ways to manage our life and our
business. Over and over, people are finding out that
what worked two years ago won't work right now.
Creative thinking requires an attitude that allows you
to search for new ideas and manipulate your
knowledge and experience.
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Edward De Bono
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Last week, as I walked around an office building, I
saw posters of the Six Thinking Hats. It's
been a while since I even thought of the Six Thinking
Hats. It's one of many techniques that can be used
to stimulate creative thinking and idea generation.
Edward De Bono first came up with the Six Thinking
Hats. Dr. Edward de Bono is one of the very few
people in history who can be said to have had a
major impact on the way we think. In many ways he
could be said to be the best known thinker
internationally. The term 'lateral thinking' was
introduced by Edward de Bono and is now so much
part of the language that it is used equally in a
physics lecture and in a television comedy. If you
ever have the opportunity to hear Dr. De Bono in
person, don't miss it. He is truly a fascinating thinker.
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Using Metaphors to Increase Retention
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Our language is so metaphorical, so much so that we
don't realize it. Teachers and trainers use metaphors
all the time. Seven years ago, a guidance counselor
told me that puberty was like getting a case of the
chicken pox. With some kids, you barely notice the
spots. With other kids, the spots are all over, in their
ears, under their arms. They itch and scratch all day
and make you crazy! I don't remember anything else
that guidance counselor shared with me that day but
I do remember the chicken pox metaphor.
Business people use sports metaphors all the time;
there are "kick off meetings" and sales people
have "proven track records."
The metaphor is an excellent tool to help you think
something different and to get people to remember
concepts.
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