What do you do if your problem-solving in sustainability lacks creativity?

Sustainability challenges are complex. Step outside of your comfort zone. Seek input from colleagues with different backgrounds or collaborate with external experts. Fresh viewpoints can ignite innovative solutions. Don't settle for the "usual" solutions. Question traditional approaches and explore unconventional ideas. Research biomimicry - how nature inspires sustainable design. Explore what seemingly unrelated fields can offer solutions. Great ideas rarely emerge fully formed. Don't be afraid to experiment with different approaches. Embrace a "fail-fast, learn-faster" mentality. Analyze what worked and what didn't to refine your solutions and keep the creative spark alive.

Biomimicry! Imagine a world where we solve problems like an owl, with exceptional night vision, or a spider, a master of silk production. Biomimicry is about learning from nature's ingenious solutions. Stuck on waste reduction? Study termites, masters of composting. Need a new material? Look to spiderwebs for inspiration on strong, lightweight structures. Nature has been innovating for millions of years. Research is key. The more you explore, the more unexpected connections you'll find.

Which part of the brain generates creativity? The left side is the logical part, while the right processes information in a non-linear way combining different converging factors in a coherent thought. The two sides must collaborate continuously to generate new ideas, the left side continually seeks rational explanations inventing things. The first step of a creative process occurs when the right hemisphere is alerted by an event, an unidentified object, an unusual pattern, a strange contrast. Then, the left hemisphere is prompted to ask itself a question. Creative spark arises when we least expect it, after having spent time studying a problem, sometimes while thinking about something else: when the left side stops inhibiting the right!

To enhance creativity in solving sustainability issues, utilize creativity tools and techniques like SCAMPER, mind mapping, or the Six Thinking Hats method. These approaches encourage thinking outside the box, fostering innovative solutions by exploring different aspects of a problem, generating new ideas, and viewing challenges from various perspectives. Integrating these tools into your problem-solving process can significantly boost your ability to devise creative and impactful solutions for sustainability.

Success is not achieved by trampling on others. The secret lies in mutual aid. If you think you will arrive alone, you will remain alone and will not arrive. Creating networks and growing them is the secret of producing new ideas. I also suggest to carefully listen to the detractors of an idea that, after having listened, provide their thought highlighting the weakness of a work’s analysis, proposals, and conclusions: thanks to their comments one is able to make it stronger and clearer. Trying to convince the people resistant to a new idea is a great exercise.

Key to setting free creativity is Psychlogical Safety, which can be defined as a subjective belief that an individual won't face negative consequences for speaking up with unconentional ideas, questions, concerns, own mistakes or identified others mistakes.