Next time you’re feeling creatively blocked, try these lateral thinking tools
The creative process is amusing. Sometimes it feels like you can’t accomplish anything perfectly — you simply get stuck and nothing comes out right. Sometimes, though, the same thing happens, but it turns out that all you truly needed to get started was something that no longer worked. You’ve probably heard of lateral thinking tools for problem solving: those things you use in class when you can’t think of an answer but want to go someplace else with your thought before coming back around later. The fact is that these techniques are utilised by everyone from Fortune 500 executives to artists and scientists (yes, scientists). They’re also something I’ve found myself utilising a lot lately when I don’t know what else to do.
Stop trying to be creative.
"Creativity is not a state of being." It’s a process. It’s not something that you have or don’t have, it is something you can learn and improve upon over time.
Creativity is also not about your personality traits, but rather how you think about things — in other words, how your brain makes connections between ideas and concepts (and what those connections mean). This ability to see patterns in disparate elements allows us to see connections that others miss or fail to recognize as such; when we do this well enough (and often enough), our brains store these connections as valuable information that can be used later on in our lives when needed most — like when trying out new ideas at work!
Creativity is not about being the best or having the most creative ideas. It’s about being able to think creatively — that is, finding unique ways to solve problems and approach challenges that require us to do something differently than what we’ve done before.
Creativity is not about being the best or having the most creative ideas. It’s about being able to think creatively — that is, finding unique ways to solve problems and approach challenges that require us to do something differently than what we’ve done before.
Experiment more, think less.
When it comes to creativity and problem solving, the best ideas often come from a combination of what we’ve already done (experience) and new things we haven’t tried before (lateral thinking). But how do you take advantage of this? The most important thing is to not be afraid of failure — try something new at least once in your career! It’s easy to get caught up in perfectionism or other limiting beliefs about yourself that prevent us from taking risks or trying new things. If you’re stuck at a creative impasse, try using one or two of these lateral thinking tools:
I tried things that were completely different from each other? This is a great way to get out of the same old rut you’re stuck in.
Asking “What if?” questions is also great for getting out of a creative rut. For example, what if I were trying this project from an entirely different perspective? Would it work differently than what I’m doing now? How could I make my project look totally different than before? What if instead of just trying different things that might work together
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The most innovative businesses make sure they don’t rest on their laurels and create a culture that always tries new things
As a business owner and leader, you are constantly trying to innovate your way out of the corner you’re in. And if you don’t, it’s unlikely that your competitors will be able to keep up with new trends and ideas.
To be innovative — and stay ahead of the curve — you need to create a culture where everyone is encouraged to think outside the box. This means going beyond just doing what everyone else does; it means challenging conventional thinking at every turn and exploring new ways of doing things that might not seem obvious on their own or even make sense at first glance, (but when approached from different angles, can lead down paths that yield incredible results).
"Being innovative isn’t about being an eccentric genius who challenges authority figures by ignoring them entirely; rather, it’s about being open-minded enough so as to not just adapt but also innovate based on feedback from others who work within your organization who have something valuable to add to their knowledge base/experience base.”
For example, say you have a customer complaint about the color of a product. Your initial reaction might be to think that the person who complained is crazy or just difficult to please (which is also problematic). Instead of dismissing their concerns outright and focusing on why they are wrong, try considering whether there may be some truth in what they’re saying.
The person who complained about the color may be right; maybe it does clash with the rest of their décor, or maybe they just don’t like that specific color. Regardless of why they feel this way, if you can find a way to address it without compromising quality or price point then you’re more likely to keep them as customers (and even attract new ones).
The Lateral Thinking certificate course integrates practical exercises with meaningful business opportunities. Participants will be trained on four lateral thinking tools over the course of three days: focus, challenge, alternatives, and random entry. IDEA generation concepts through a live virtual mode, along with individual and group exercises.?
“Give up best practices and embrace lateral thinking to become a more effective leader."