Creativity - Everyone Has It But Few Use It.

This is one of my favorite topics to talk on, so trust me when I say it's going to really long :D

Let start by understanding the simple fact that creativity is present in each and everyone of us due to us being humans and having the ability to think and innovate.

Many of us are not aware of this fact for a long time in our lives. If we had a well-read mother, an understanding father, a kindhearted experienced teacher, and great surroundings containing good friends, and people we could become aware of the fact earlier in our life. Trust me, every one of you is creative.

One of the fundamental principles of Creativity is "Believe in Creativity." As every good gardener knows, you cannot rely on the same old flowers season after season, they die. New seeds are needed to rejuvenate the garden and stimulate growth, with that said understand that creativity is like that garden it needs new creative thoughts to keep it alive. Creative thinking involves leaving the known and entering the unknown. It is about burning new neural connections in the brain so that creative ideas have the opportunity to surface. Many people stop themselves from experiencing new things and only want to stay in their comfort zones. Many people stop themselves from being creative because they do not believe in their ability to be creative.

The second principle is “Be curious”. Great creative thinkers have an insatiable appetite for understanding how things work and for connecting new thoughts with old ones. They feel free to challenge their own assumptions and those of others. They make room for new ideas by unlearning or forgetting some of what they thought to be true. They know that creativity requires a new mindset. They ask probing questions and listen to the answers they receive with open minds.

The third principle of creative thinking is “Discover new connections”. Many ideas already exist in some form somewhere in the universe-in some other department, organization, sector, or country. Finding these ideas and then experimenting to mix and match or cut and paste them into new ideas is the essence of creative thinking. Learning how to connect or cross-fertilize ideas into new ones will greatly increase a person’s creative thinking skills.

Everyone is Creative!

Some individuals have a greater ability to discover new and often amazing ideas than others do. Some are able to make connections between things so well that make people think, "Why didn't I think of that?" Are these people born with this creative ability? Is it gained through supportive parents, mentors, or other environmental factors? Is creativity a mystery, an untouchable skill with which only a few are blessed?

Many view creativity as an integral part of the DNA with which everyone is born. Others view creativity as a "lucky break”, for the special ones, the gifted ones, the crazy ones.

Why is it that designer who discovers a new idea to attract potential customers is called "creative," but a manager who discovers a new idea to source materials at a cheaper rate, or a human resources manager who discovers a new idea to recruit people, is not?

Is creative thinking the domain of only a few?

The answer is “No”. If the definition of creativity is "the discovery of a new connection", then everyone has the ability to be creative. Everyone has the ability to connect one idea with another, to find an idea in another department, organization, or industry, and connect it with another to solve the challenge at hand. Artistic creativity is only one form of creativity. There are many other forms or avenues of creative expression, such as finding a new idea to better serve a customer, discovering a new recipe using only the ingredients in the refrigerator, or trying a new route to and from work.

Believe in Your Own Unique Creative Thinking Talents!

Were you once creative, but now suppress your creativity in an effort to conform? Alternatively, have you lost faith in your creative ability because someone, somewhere in your past, planted the seeds of self-doubt about your creative ability?

The most important factor in creative thinking is a person's own belief in his creative ability. A leader cannot just ask people to be creative. They must first believe that they are. A person who doesn't think he/she is creative cannot be motivated by any leader.

Traits of the creative thinker

• Willing to challenge the status quo
• Enjoys complexity
• Curious
• Has many interests
• Adventurous
• Enjoys a challenge
• Imaginative
• Intuitive
• Able to make connections
• Able to see new possibilities
• Observant
• Motivated
• Flexible
• Collaborative
• Reflective
• Analytical
• Playful
• Patient
• Tolerates being in the unknown
• Persistent
• Continuously learning

Not everyone is creative in the same way. Everyone has different preferences and talents for creativity in different areas of their life. You might be very creative in one area of your life and less in another. There are many situations in everyday life in which an individual's creative-thinking talent is needed.

In the simplest form Creative ideas are needed:

• When faced with the challenge of finding a birthday gift,
• Figuring out a new route to work when the regular route is under construction,
• While locating a long-lost classmate

The fundamental skills of creative thinking in these situations can be transferred to creative problem solving in a work setting. If you have shown your creative-thinking abilities in one area of your life, what is stopping you from transferring these same skills to other areas of your life, including your work?

When discussing creative-thinking skills, there is usually a reference to the "right brain" versus "left brain" model of thinking. Each side, or hemisphere, of the brain possesses specialized and differentiated functions.

The left side of the brain is thought to dominate language, logic, and scientific and analytical tasks, while the right side of the brain is thought to dominate visual, spatial, and artistic tasks. In essence, the left side deals with more details while the right side deals with more abstract processes.

Over time, the right brain has become associated with creativity. Some assessment tools purport to measure the subject's tendency for "left brain" versus "right brain" thinking. You may find the value of these types of assessment tools limited. As you will soon discover, you need both sides of the brain, the "whole brain," for creative work.

William Miller was a researcher and lecturer at Stanford University and the author of the book “Flash of Brilliance”.

Miller believes that everyone has the capacity to be innovative. His approach chooses not to measure whether a person is innovative, but instead seeks to understand or discover the unique way in which a person is innovative. His work encompasses the following concepts:

• We are all unique individuals. Each of us has different ways of expressing our talents, knowledge, values, and interests.
• We all have the capacity to be creative, but we express this potential differently.
• We approach innovation and change with our own unique blend of the four innovation styles. These four Innovation Styles are Visioning, Exploring, Experimenting, and Modifying. The styles tap into unique preferences for such things as setting clear goals, developing new rules, relying on current standards, looking to the future, working with details, and so on.

Visioning:

• Develop a clear sense of purpose and goals to focus and drive the creative energy.
• Some people like to focus on the end result. They have a vision of what they want to create. They are comfortable letting their goals be their guide. They can provide a team with direction, inspiration and momentum. They emphasize Visioning.
• People who favor the Visioning Style trust their instincts and like to make decisions. They seek solutions that focus on maximizing potential rather than focusing on what has gone on in the past. Driven by their long-term goals and their organization's mission, they solve problems by relying on their vision of the future to guide them.
• This style is characterized by people who are persistent, determined, hardworking, and visionary.

Exploring:

• Explore in new directions and see where we end up.
• Some people like to explore uncharted territory. They thrive on the unknown and unpredictable. Often they come up with new ideas from out of nowhere. They tend to add a sense of adventure to any project and open up the potential for dramatic breakthroughs. They emphasize Exploring.
• People who favor the Exploring Style like using their insights to guide them. They tend to question assumptions and often will try to implement their ideas despite resistance from others. They are adventurous, dislike routine, and like to be challenged.

Experimenting:

• What happens if we take existing elements and combine them in new ways. And let's get people involved to ensure an implementable plan of action.
• Some people like to experiment. Once they agree on a common process or way of thinking, they can troubleshoot anything. They contribute to the team by adding careful testing and getting input from all concerned in order to confirm ideas. They emphasize Experimenting.
• When people use the Experimenting Style, they emphasize fact finding and information gathering. They seek solutions by applying pre-established processes and trial and error. As problem solvers, they like to collect as many facts and opinions as possible before they make their decision. They are curious, practical, and good team players.

Modifying:

• Build on what we already have and make improvements where necessary.
• Some people feel comfortable moving forward one step at a time; they like to build on what they already know is true and proven. They provide a team with the stability and thoroughness it needs to do a quality job. They emphasize Modifying.
• People who take a modifying approach to innovation are most comfortable working with facts and making decisions. They like to solve problems. They seek solutions by applying methods that have worked in the past. These people tend to be precise, reliable, efficient, and disciplined.

If we can be aware of the ways in which an individual is innovative, we will be able to leverage this capacity most effectively and efficiently for both individual and the collective gain. Everyone is creative, but that everyone approaches creativity in different ways. By recognizing each person's unique talents as well as their unique innovation styles, we can greatly enhance both the quality of interaction within the group and the output of the group.

Professor Howard Gardner, who contributed his insightful theory of "Multiple Intelligence." Gardner recognized that there are different types of human intelligences, including those that go beyond the traditional linguistic and mathematical intelligences that are most commonly recognized and rewarded.

Gardner also offers the following different types of intelligence:

• Musical Intelligence (sound, rhythm, composition)
• Spatial Intelligence (visual aesthetics, drawing, painting)
• Kinesthetic Intelligence (dance, movement, building, drama)
• Intrapersonal Intelligence (research, reflection, personal)
• Interpersonal Intelligence (interactive, expression, cooperation)

Your creative spirit does not have to be applied only to the linguistic and mathematical areas. Look beyond these traditional types of intelligences to see how you can bring out your unique creative talents in the other important, yet often overlooked, "multiple intelligences."

Despite traditional views, many people now realize that creative thinking in the musical, spatial, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal areas is just as valuable as creative thinking in the traditional linguistic and mathematical areas.

Eliminate Obstacles to Creative Thinking!

It is basic human nature to be curious, to try new things, and to learn by discovering new connections. Somehow, along the way, this natural creative talent has been blocked. Through self-judgment and the conditioning of others, people stop looking for new ideas, stop trying new approaches, and stop discovering new connections. Over time, their creative mindsets weaken and in some cases, may even atrophy to the point that, when called upon, the creative mindset is so weak they are not able to jump into action.

Most barriers to creative thinking are self-imposed. You cannot expect to "think outside the box" if you constantly put yourself back in the box!

Obstacle 1: Hesitancy to Try New Things

• "We tried that a few years ago and it didn't work."
• "We've never tried that so it won't work."
• "We've always done it this way."
• "We don't want any mistakes so do it the way it's always been done."

Why is it that people try many new experiences in their younger years but somehow, once they are a bit older, the number of new adventures they are willing to experience starts to dwindle?

Why do they stop trying new things and want every step of the journey mapped out for them, even before they start? Perhaps people get a little too comfortable in their everyday routines. Perhaps they convince themselves that there is already too much change in the world, so in order to cope, it is best to do what they have always done.

The fear of making a mistake and the fear of what others may think can lock a person in their own creative thinking prison. Children try new things, but many adults only try new things if they think they can do them right.

• "I can't skate because I tried skating once and I fell."
• "I gave an idea once and the management didn't like it, my job doesn't allow me to be creative."
• "I can't give a speech because I gave one in college and my class didn't like it."

Are these constraints real or imagined? Are these constraints still valid after all these years?

Everyone is naturally full of creativity but our scared little "voice of judgment" takes over.

• "You can't do that."
• "That will never work."
• "You will fail."
• "It will not be good enough."
• "That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard."

Everyone has become very good at judging others as well as themselves. The voice of judgment creates fear and destroys confidence in people's creative talents and in their abilities to excel. They stop dreaming of what could be and see only what reality is today.

These insecurities hold them back from asking new questions and taking action. What is really stopping people from being creative is not a lack of new ideas but their voice of judgment.

Creative thinkers try new things and move with the changing world. People need to move out of their comfort zones, open themselves up to new experiences and let more creativity flow into their lives.

Try one thing new each week whether or not it scares you:

• Listen to a new radio station or music genre.
• Rearrange your office furniture.
• Try random exotic food.
• Speak to new people. Even strangers can help people improve creative abilities.

Also, challenge yourself to really understand why you stop yourself from trying new things. Write down ten things you have always wanted to do but have not done. What is stopping you from doing these ten things? Are your obstacles real or imagined? Alternatively, when faced with challenges from others, ask yourself if the constraints others are trying to place on you are real or imagined. How can you overcome these constraints so that you can move forward and experience new things?

Obstacle 2: "The Right Way"

• "That's not the way it's done in our industry."
• "Don't rock the boat."
• "The board won't go for that idea It's too radical."
• "That's the way we do things here"

So much time is spent attempting to recommend the "right" answer that there is no time left to find new and better ways. Many people have a tendency to stop looking for alternative right answers after the first answer has been found. Stopping at the first "right" answer prevents further exploration of possible solutions. If this pattern of stopping at the first answer is repeated, the ability to forge new pathways or thinking patterns in the brain is damaged. One right answer results in little room to move and too few degrees of creative freedom. Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have.

It's tough to be creative when surrounded by "one-answer" people. It is hard to work with people who are hanging on so tightly to their "right way." There are many people who presumably have the "right answer" and try to manipulate the situation so that their answer appears to be the only option. There are many people who just have to have an answer for everything, whether they are an expert in the subject area or not. Perhaps these people are so uncomfortable with not knowing that they just cannot say those three little words, "I don't know." Perhaps it is hard for these people to enter the state of the unknown and leave the more comfortable state of "yes" and "no" or "right" and "wrong".

It is true that, in some situations, routine answers or the right answer may be the best. For example, at a red light, the decision to stop is commonly considered the right answer. However, in other situations, ideas that are different from everyone else's, or that are different from the answers that were used in the past, are needed. The markets may have changed. There may be new competitors. The problems may have escalated. The budgets may be smaller. In these cases, creative answers are needed. Strong innovation leadership is about encouraging people to look for new ways, to work outside the parameters of what has been done before to seek out new possibilities. Instead of criticizing ideas, people need to ask themselves if the idea is wrong or if the idea is just different from what they are used to. If the Wright Brothers had not been encouraged to go beyond the conventional wisdom that declared, "humans can't fly," we might not be flying in aircrafts today.

Circumstances change. Conventional wisdom evolves. The right way might not be the best approach for solving today's challenges. The right way might be based on old standards, old information, old biases, and even old wives tales.

New approaches are needed. People need to be encouraged to fly out of formation every once in a while. If creativity is about discovering new connections, you need to evolve from allowing only "one right connection" to supporting "multiple connections."

To train yourself on how to find multiple answers :

• Increase your awareness of how you might be criticizing ideas that do not mirror your own.
• Increase your awareness of the number of different approaches yon will tolerate.
• Help others increase their awareness of how they might be limiting the number of new ideas by their heavy criticism.
• Have your team adopt a phrase such as "There is more than one right way!" to be used whenever someone starts to hear too much criticism of new ideas and approaches.

Obstacle 3: We Want Control

• "We never had to do that before."
• "We've just finished writing the vision and mission statements. We don't want to have to change them."
• "We know the old way will work, because it always has."

Many people feel their lives are too chaotic and "out of control”. They want the world to slow down and stop changing so much. They crave predictable routines and want answers that fit the proven patterns of the world. In reality, though, the world has never been and will never be a stable place. All things in the world, all things in life, are constantly moving and changing. The universe is naturally chaotic because it is alive, it is a complex living system that is constantly reshaping itself. In fact the entire universe we live in is moving towards chaos, "chaos is the natural order of the universe!" so trying to create order in chaos is futile just embrace the chaos in your life and reshape it.

This is true for the corporate world. Gone are the days when "what you see today will be what you see tomorrow." Gone are the days when organizations can guarantee they will exist in fifty years and that everyone who is employed today will have a job forever. Gone are the days when the competitive set can be predicted or the distribution channel can be controlled. The political landscape is also constantly reshaping itself. Organizations attempt to achieve stability in the midst of this chaotic change. However, once an organization stabilizes or achieves the perception of stability, most people do everything in their power to keep it that way. They spend their time and effort pursuing efficiency by perfecting current processes and approaches. Unfortunately, by the time they have perfected the process, the world has already changed and the revamped processes are already out of date. A better strategy might be to dedicate the team's energy and skill toward finding new and more effective processes as well as building the creative-thinking skills that will be needed for coping with future challenges. While some organizations are spending their time pursuing a strategy of doing things better, others are spending their time pursuing the strategy of doing things differently.

Creative thinking rarely emerges from organizations where order and control are valued. Organizations that are trying to control too much of their internal environment will miss out on the creative energy of their employees. If a manager tries to control all aspects of the process as well as the end result, the team will just stop searching for and finding new answers. If the ideas that receive the most support are the ones that reinforce the past, the flow of new creative ideas will certainly slow down to just a trickle. If creative ideas are constantly being shot down, people will stop launching them. The overwhelming need for control leads to less exploration, less experimentation, and, in general, less creative thinking.

Non-creative thinkers are typically unwilling to let go of their opinions. They attempt to control the viewpoints and behaviors of others. They do not invite everyone to participate in their innovative-thinking exercises.

• "You're new here so you probably shouldn't be involved."
• "You're not in our department so we don't need your input."

On one end of the continuum is control and on the other end of the continuum is freedom.

Determine where the majority of your behavior falls: closer to the control end, where you may be stiffing your own creative spirit as well as the creative spirit of those around you, or closer to the freedom end, where you may be nurturing the creative spirit and encouraging the creative juices to flow. Being aware of your behavior is a critical first step.

Try to eliminate some of your controlling behavior by allowing yourself to offer new ideas as well as encouraging others to bring forward their new ideas. Realize that you could become a role model for letting go and accepting new ideas proposed by others. By doing so, you can encourage others to be a little more lenient when reviewing your new ideas in return! Learning to free your own creative spirit is an important step in building your capacity in creative thinking.

Learn to Unlearn and Forget!

One of the reasons people shut down creativity is because they know that, once they have identified new ideas or new ways of doing things, they might actually have to accept and implement them. This means that they might have to change their current position. They might actually have to try new things. They might actually have to let go of "the right way" and release their grip on order and control.

As Peter Drucker once said, "If you want to do something new, you have to stop doing something old."

Old thinking may be covering up true creative potential. Old thinking has to be removed in order to make room for new thinking. Just as a gardener clears out old plants and weeds to make room for the sunlight to shine on the new plants, you must clear out old thinking in order to make room for new thinking. The ability to unlearn and the ability to forget some of what has been taught are fundamental skills for creative thinking. Some of the "rules" and "ways of doing things" will have to be unlearned in order to make way for new ideas.

Accepting Failure!

Remember that creative thinking also involves failure. A person should not stop trying just because perfect results are not produced on the first attempt. Tom Kelley of the design firm "IDEO" says his company's approach to experimentation is summed up in its advice to "fail often to succeed sooner." Anyone in the oil exploration field can tell you that their chances of finding oil at the very first drill site are extremely low. Learning to be comfortable with a little failure in life is difficult given the social conditioning that encourages everyone to showcase achievement but certainly not the failure that might have occurred on the way to this success.

Be Curious!

The primary basis for creativity is a curious mind. Without curiosity, a person has great difficulty discovering new ideas.

To be curious you first need to fulfill 3 criteria, these may not be easy as people refrain from such things,

• Have an open and liberal mind.
• Gain a broader perspective.
• Ask probing questions

Have an Open and Liberal Mind.

There are many examples of people throughout history who found it difficult to have an open mind and break their existing thinking patterns. It is difficult to discover creative solutions with a closed mind. When the mind holds onto or sets fast on one idea, it is no longer free to create. In effect, the creative mind starts to shut down. It tunes out and closes off the possibility of new discoveries.

In order to see new ideas, we must first acknowledge that alternative ideas can exist. Why is it that we can acknowledge the presence of alternative products and services in the marketplace but block our own team's suggestions for such products and services? Why is it that we can acknowledge the appeal of new inventions in the marketplace but find it so easy to criticize new ideas that are presented within our own organizations?

We need to open our minds to new possibilities, to the field of dreams. All innovations started out as simple ideas. The light bulb lighting the room you are in, the chair you are sitting on, and the shoes you are wearing were once only ideas. It took a creative thinker to bring these ideas to the world. Being open-minded means being willing to change perceptions or "mental models" when new information surfaces.

Often, progress is blocked by our sacred traditions: our opinions, assumptions, or rules of "the way it's done." While some sacred traditions may be valuable to maintain, others may be hindering the innovation process by preventing new ideas from surfacing.

A good creative leader creates an environment where these sacred traditions can be challenged and addressed. In order to challenge these sacred traditions, you must first be aware of them. Begin by making a list of the industry's sacred traditions. Decide which ones are helpful and which ones are blocking innovations. Then make a list of your own organization's sacred traditions. Challenge the fundamental thinking that drives your organization.

It seems that the more a person perceives himself to be an expert in a certain field, the more resistant he is to listening to alternative ideas. Whatever the idea, if it does not fit with his pre-selected solution, it is discarded without consideration. Perhaps he perceives a loss of power if the current system is disrupted by the acceptance of the new idea. Progress is impossible if you keep doing what you have always done. Show you have an open mind by slowing down long enough to hear the potential of the idea before you jump all over it.

Gain a Broader Perspective

Ideas and solutions are everywhere. How broad is the idea-gathering process in your organization? Are you actively scouting out different perspectives from a variety of sources, from people outside your company, from people in other industries or agencies, from people from other countries? Are you casting the net wide enough?

People often suffer from "industry think conformity" where everyone in the industry is following the same rules, looking at the market the same way, and, in general, thinking and acting along the same lines. Everyone is assuming the industry works a certain way, and they may, therefore, be blind to new opportunities. Individuals and groups alike can benefit from knowing and tapping into a rich diversity of thought. Creativity needs people of all shapes and sizes.

Conversations with diverse people spark creative thinking. Ask someone who does not know your challenges for fresh advice. Expand your bandwidth to receive ideas from wherever, whenever, they choose to appear! You never know if that random act of searching the Web or sitting beside someone on the airplane or standing in line at the bank will result in a conversation that leads to a great idea.

Everyone views the same situation from his or her own perspective. How one sees things is determined by one's own unique personality, past experiences, and prejudices. There are often hundreds of ways to look at a problem. Sort through the range of facts, memories, emotions, observations, perceptions, and impressions. Turn the problem around and look at it from new angles. Even the jury system relies on twelve jurors instead of only one so that the issue of guilt or innocence can be viewed from different perspectives.

Too often, we fall in love with one's own view of the world. Creators can benefit from seeing the world from beyond the usual boundaries, beyond departments, organizations, industries, and countries. There is a difference between looking at something and actually seeing what is there! The mind automatically filters information. A person can look at something and not really see it. It is like driving down a country road on a dark night with the headlights on you can see what is in your path in front of you, but you miss a lot of interesting scenery around you. In order to see more, people need to override the mind's filter and force themselves to be more observant.

Ask Probing Questions

"Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers." - Voltaire

You cannot be a curious thinker if you are afraid to ask questions. Ask probing questions and do not to be afraid to ask again if the person avoided answering the original question. Some people have been taught not to ask questions, especially of their elders or of people in positions of power for fear of embarrassing them. This is a hurdle that needs to be overcome if the creative spirit is to flourish.

There is no such thing as a wasted question. You will always learn something. Take the time to question the "facts" in any situation by asking more questions. Write down what is known about the problem, what information is available, and what information is not available. Ask tougher questions each time.

As Socrates demonstrated over 2000 years ago, great insights come from asking good questions. A good leader does not need to know all the answers. He needs to know the questions to ask. Creative thinking begins with great questions, not answers. Great creative thinkers stay with the question instead of rushing to find an immediate solution. They ask more questions than the average person asks and are comfortable in the often uncomfortable situation of not immediately having the answer. This is the test of a true creative thinker.

Do not be satisfied with surface answers. Jumping to the solution too quickly results in mediocre ideas or ideas that do not fit the needs of the real problem. Keep asking the "Why?" questions and dig for more details. In order to un-peel the layers of packaging to get to the real heart of the matter, it is necessary to repeat the question. For example, ask "Why?" and then ask "Why?" repeatedly until you uncover new insights. Many breakthroughs have come after much contemplation and investigation. For example, Thomas Edison said, "I haven't failed. I've just come up with 1,000 ways not to make a light bulb."

Of course, there are always two parts of asking any question: the asking and the listening. Make sure that you also hear the answers!

Thank you for reading and please share if you like it :)

Please Note:

• These are my views of the above mentioned subject/topics.
• These are not hard and fast rules to success(you gotta work your ass for that to happen).
• My views can be subject to scrutiny and mistakes, as i am not yet a god (but aspire to be).
• These are just simple guidelines for the benefit of the community and for anyone who seeks this knowledge.