What is Creative
Problem Solving? 
Squirrel Version of Creative Problem
Solver
Ever watched a squirrel trying to
break into a bird feeder? Its perseverance is
amazing. The squirrel will try every possible
angle,
working up, then upside down, side ways, probing, poking, pushing,
shaking - everything.
When
all else fails, it will try to find and open the port through which the
seeds
are added. If that fails, and there is
nothing left, it comes up with one last and very clever trick; it tilts
and
shakes the bird feeder, causing some of the seed to fall to the ground. The squirrel eats the seeds, and then goes
back to tilting and shaking until the feeder is empty and the squirrel
is
full.
And we think we're smart! The
problem with problem-solving is that it becomes a struggle. Every day starts and ends with problems that
we struggle to solve in one way or another. This daily challenge, however, is what keeps us alive, strong, and
learning as we work our way and struggle through problems.
Once
we have a few successes solving repetitive problems, we get good at it; then we
think we can apply the same solutions to all problems. Obviously, it doesn't work and, when it
doesn't, we get frustrated. After a few
more failed attempts at trying to apply quick fixes, we either erupt into a
rage or sink into a depression, or pretend it doesn't matter and ignore it
until it gets worse. Then,
having run out of options, we begin to look for new solutions. Usually, our standard approaches don't produce
truly creative and effective solutions. Most
creativity is spontaneous - except when we need it most. We need to find an approach that helps us
systematically develop truly creative problem solutions. That system is called The Perfect Brainstorm™ The
Perfect Brainstorm™ Distinguishing between
"Thinking" and "Doing" I
developed The Perfect Brainstorm™ to help clients find new, creative, and innovative ways to solve
problems of all kinds, ranging all the way from finding a job to creating and
launching new products. So
what's the difference between Creativity and Innovation? As marketing guru Theodore Levitt says,
"Creativity thinks new things. Innovation does new things." What
does innovation have to do with this? Today, we live in a Flat World in more ways
than we believe. It is not flat only in
the sense that it is global, but also in that most of the great solutions of
the past have become commodities. Our
problems, however, are becoming increasingly different, and complex, and old solutions
no longer work with new problems. Competition and
Confusion Competitors
around our Flat World are coming up with new ideas and new approaches every
day. Today, the ideas and solutions we
call products are quickly becoming commodities that anyone anywhere can imitate
and even improve upon. Walk
into a super market or even into Best Buy, and you will see an incredible array
of products supplied by a wide diversity of brands. It is becoming harder for potential customers
to make buying decisions. How do you
determine which of the various brands is best? When they all seem to be the same, lowest price becomes the deciding
factor. How
do we defend ourselves against low price competition? By innovations that are different in ways
that are valuable to customers Differentiation with VALUE is something that consumers are willing to
pay more for. That is why we
need to innovate. But what if you say, "How can I come up with creative ideas?"
"Curiosita" Leonardo
da Vinci said "Curiosita" or Curiosity is the starting point leading to
creation and innovation. I agree
because Curiosity leads to Awe, which leads to Imagination which leads to Inspiration, which leads to Creativity, which leads to Innovation. 
When you are actively curious, you discover
things that have been there before but you never saw them. Nature, for example, is a never-ending source
of discovery and awe. Curiosity helps us
see things in a new light which leads to discovery and, eventually, awe. The emotion that goes with awe triggers the
imagination that inspires us to create new ideas and concepts that we then turn
into innovations.
Curiosity
starts us asking "What if?" which begins the process of The Perfect Brainstorm™
The Perfect Brainstorm™
- Select Your Creative Team.
The old line goes, "Two heads are better than one - as long as they're not on the same pair of shoulders." Build a creative team with a variety of talents, skills, and experiences, plus a good combination of right and left brains. Interacting with others stimulates imagination and creativity; it's like telling jokes or stories; each one reminds you of another. If you need help selecting the right candidates, contact us; we can set up a combination of screening interviews and tests to ensure the right balance of qualifications.
- Creative Ambience. Make the place where you meet for brainstorming fun and enjoyable. Four bare walls and no windows won't do! Add color, comfort, pictures, toys, gadgets, charts, paper, pens, pencils, colors, scissors, tape, flipcharts, and music. An environment that helps creativity offers preparation, information, and a wide variety of stimuli that lead to inspiration. This may appear childish to some, but experience has proved it works. Need a model? Contact us; we can provide you with samples of very effective designs.
- Visual Stimuli. Project a series of pictures and drawings with things that are any or all of the following: unusual, clever, funny, exciting, beautiful, and inspiring. Invest a few minutes on puzzles, quizzes, brain- teasers and challenges that make you come up with ideas and solution. There is a reason why the words "understanding" and "seeing" are synonymous. Going from describing ideas in words to perceiving them and drawing them eliminates the worry and negative energy that keep ideas from flowing. The drawing at the end of this newsletter will give you an idea of one approach. If you want more, don't hesitate to contact us.
- Have Fun. Jump, stretch, sing, dance, laugh, invent new words, play active games, and move about - just enough to fill your lungs with air, get your blood circulating, and your imagination freed up. Studies show that humor and laughter help people be more creative and productive; and have more energy. On average, children laugh 400 times a day, while adults laugh about 15 times Don't underestimate the power of becoming more childlike. We can't provide you with anti-aging pills that would take you back to childhood, but contact us because we can facilitate this part of The Perfect Storm and get you started levitating to a higher level of creativity.
- Generate. This step focuses strictly on creating; the analytical/critical stage comes later. So, just focus on generating ideas; the more the merrier. Start with s series of "What if's". Do not worry about logic at this point; write everything down no matter how crazy and wild it may seem because you never know which idea is going light a special creative spark that leads to the perfect solution. Now, visualize what the end result should look like, and start generating a gazillion great ideas! We can also help you by facilitating this part of the process and get your team's imagination flowing at full speed. And, if you want, we can also reap the harvest of great ideas with the analysis that identifies and selects the best ones.
Note. Please keep in mind that a Brainstorm is not a Tornado; it does not destroy everything in its path, rather it creates a new world and fills it with wonder. This is just the tip of The Perfect Brainstorm; there is much more to it but too much to fit in just one newsletter. The fact is that the process lends itself to many different situations and uses. More than ever before, today, we need original thinking and problem solving. And now You Can Be The Creative Problem Solver, but... in case you didn't get it, the message is ...
It's Up to You!
But, if you would like to become a Creative Problem Solver and
learn how to apply The Perfect Brainstorm™ to the problems you and your
organization face, be sure to contact Michael Wynne at (630) 520) 2605, or mykwyn@aol.com regarding our training
programs, workshops, consulting and coaching services.
Michael Wynne
The Real World Business Expert He has walked the talks you will hear. (630) 420-2650 |
