Watershed Solutions Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Creativity’

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An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail. ~Edwin Land, Inventor

Anxiety is the hand maiden of creativity. ~T. S. Eliot, Poet

Creativity can be described as letting go of certainties. ~Gail Sheehy, Journalist

Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work. ~Rita Mae Brown, Writer

Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous. ~Bill Moyers, Journalist

Rule of art: Cant kills creativity! ~Camille Paglia, Authour

The heart and soul of the company is creativity and innovation. ~Robert Iger, CEO Disney

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“Two people look out through the same bars; One sees the mud, and one the stars.” ~Frederick Langbridge, Author, 1849 – 1922

“Creativity, as has been said, consists largely of rearranging what we know in order to find out what we do not know. Hence, to think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted.” ~George Kneller, Philosophy and Education Cahir, UCLA

“The human body has two ends on it: one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of the pants.” ~Roger Von Oech, President of Creative Think

“Some men look at things the way they are and ask why? I dream of things that are not and ask why not?” ~Robert Kennedy, American Politician

“If you do not the expect the unexpected you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail.” ~Heraclitus, Pre-Socratic Greek Philosopher

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“When we engage in what we are naturally suited to do, our work takes on the quality of play and it is play that stimulates creativity.” ~Linda Naiman, Corporate Alchemist

“The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.” ~Alan Alda, American actor, director and screenwriter

“It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.” ~Edward de Bono, s a physician, author, inventor, and consultant

“Nothing is done. Everything in the world remains to be done or done over. The greatest picture is not yet painted, the greatest play isn’t written, the greatest poem is unsung. There isn’t in all the world a perfect railroad, nor a good government, nor a sound law. Physics, mathematics, and especially the most advanced and exact of the sciences are being fundamentally revised. . . Psychology, economics, and sociology are awaiting a Darwin, whose work in turn is awaiting an Einstein.” ~Lincoln Steffens, American journalist, lecturer, and political philosopher

“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.” ~Henry David Thoreau, American author, poet, abolitionist

“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.”~ Erich Fromm, 1900-1980, Psychologist

“Listen to anyone with an original idea, no matter how absurd it may sound at first. If you put fences around people, you get sheep. Give people the room they need.”~ William McKnight, 3M President

“All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning.”~ Albert Camus, French Algerian author, philosopher and journalist

“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”~ Vincent van Gogh, Dutch post-Impressionist painter

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.”~ Albert Einstein, German-born theoretical physicist

If you entered into a competition where you had to construct the tallest freestanding structure possible out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow, who would you want on your team?

It can safely be said that every organization has acknowledged the need for a creative workforce, and with good reason. Creativity spawns innovation and innovation leads to growth, longevity and success. But how do you make a workforce more creative? How do you get people to not only think about new ways of doing things, but also voice their ideas? Finally, how do you get clients to embrace new ways of working and take more risks?

Earlier this week, we shared a quick tip on how to ignite some creativity in Feeling Blue Towards Creativity, and now Iʼd like to continue in the same vain by offering some insightful recommendations presented by Peter Merholz in his recent article, Innovate Like a Kindergartner .

For Merholz itʼs all about getting back to the basics of kindergarten. Though he mostly touches on his dealings with clients, all of his recommendations can have a profound ability to increase creativity among all members of a company. Itʼs about presenting information in ways that allows creative ideas to flow and also provide an environment that is conducive to entertaining new ways of thought, collaboration and expression.

Draw

When Merholz works with clients, he suggests that everyone draw. In order to justify this method, he explains that the rationale behind drawing is to make “ideas tangible and concrete.” However, in reality, the purpose of drawing is to simply “engage the part of the brain that is usually dormant in a business context.” Moreover, drawing allows for creativity to flow with no judgement. It allows participants to put their ideas down on paper (or a whiteboard) and explore the images and thoughts that come to mind. Kind of the way you did in kindergarten.

Level the Playing Field

For creativity to flow freely, Merholz insists that not only must everyone contribute to a discussion, but that everyoneʼs ideas are all equally valuable. Merholz attests that we must eliminate hierarchies when it comes to presenting new ideas. This equal footing is to be applied horizontally across all departments and vertically across the organizational ladder.

Space Matters

Finally, space matters. The workspace must mirror an area that fosters creativity if you expect creativity to flow freely. Instead of working in separate spaces, individuals should gather at tables, get up and use whiteboards, move around, look at others work, present your own etc. By creating an environment of collaboration and movement, everyone has the ability to let creativity flow and the space to present their ideas. Though kindergarten may seem like a lifetime ago, the lessons and tactics presented in our first brush with formal education prove invaluable. Its just too bad that so many of us have forgotten the ideas that can flow from unbridled creativity.

Oh, and if you havenʼt guessed by now, if you had to build the tallest free standing tower out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow, youʼd want a kindergartener on your side. Those teams with a few 4-5 year olds consistently did better than those comprised of business students, executives, and most professionals alone because kindergarteners “approach the challenge in a playful manner, cooperate, recognize they don’t know exactly what they’re doing, and try many different things before figuring out what’s best.”

So now that we know what weʼre missing, letʼs break out the crayons and get the creative juices flowing.



What does the colour blue mean to you? Do you think of the open sky and how it represents freedom? Or do you visualize the deep blue sea and feel its peace and tranquility? Would you believe that blue can cause feelings of creativity? According to Rui Zhu and her colleague Ravi Mehta from the University of British Columbia blue can prompt creativity. This is the result of the innate feelings that we have for each colour. For example, blue creates a secure and welcoming environment thereby paving the way for greater imagination.

Need to be More Creative at work? Try these ideas:

-Change your screensaver colour to blue. One of Zhu’s studies had subjects use 20 toy parts, painted either red or blue, put together a children’s toy. Judges found that those using blue parts developed more innovative products than those using red parts.

-The next time you are refilling your printer paper tray reach for the blue paper as the calming sensation associated with this colour may fuel creativity. Zhu believes these “subconscious associations” are linked to our life experiences.  If a blue sky can create a safe environment, putting people into a more explorative mindset then why wouldn’t colour paper promote the same effect?

-Incorporate blue into the colour scheme of your office or brainstorming area. Most of Zhu’s subjects, about 75%, believed that blue would not only increase their creativity but also attention to detail. Although Zhu’s studies found that red was responsible for the latter, she says that people believe that blue helps regardless of the task.

Interested in this week’s tip? Check out these great reads:

Your supervisor requests that you hold a meeting with the development team to discuss strategies to attract new clients. You want to ensure success and know that this can only be accomplished with the input of your team members. In fact behavioural scientist, Patrick Laughlin has shown in his book Group Problem Solving, that getting input from a group can produce a better outcome than relying solely on one problem solver. Here are 5 tips when asking for input :

Identify the problem before informing others of your goals and objectives. This gives them time to consider their approach to the problem before you suggest yours.

Be clear on the goals so others know what the ultimate objective is. Display these goals publicly so they can keep them on the top of their minds.

Brainstorm. Brainstorming is the process of collecting many ideas without immediate judgement according to its founder, Alex F. Osborn. Refrain from evaluating ideas in this phase the bigger and more outlandish the better. By holding off on evaluation you set the stage for creativity.

Let everyone share their ideas. In a group the people who are more outgoing or outspoken are likely to dominate the discussion. Overcome this barrier by allowing people to choose between sharing their ideas out loud or jotting them down on a cue card.

Take the most concrete ideas and develop brief keywords or phrases for them. In Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, Noah J. Goldstein and coauthors remind us that although leaders should be open to the diversity of many ideas, they have final say. The leader should comb through the suggested ideas and note the most promising ones on cue cards. Next arrange the cue cards on a table to spell out a complete strategy. Group members should be given the chance to alter the arrangement by swapping out cards or adding to areas for an overall stronger fit.

Interested in this week’s tip? Check out these great reads:

Last week I wrote an article, Getting Buy in for Your Idea that discussed some strategies when seeking approval for an idea.  If you were wondering what now or what steps should I follow? Here is an action plan that will eliminate the guess work:

Identify the Company Culture, Vision and Goals

You must understand your company’s vision and culture. Can your idea contribute to this vision? Be realistic and avoid making assumptions and using vague reasoning to find a connection. If you are unsure of the company’s goals, ask your superiors and coworkers for their input.

Establish a Need

Your superiors must see that what you’re proposing is needed. Also this change must come at a time when the company requires it. If the company is struggling or is undergoing internal restructuring it is probably best not to propose a new idea that requires taking chances. Tread the waters until the company reaches a suitable position to consider changes. By waiting you ensure that your idea has a greater chance of success.

Consult Key Stakeholders

Remember to consult the key stakeholders in an informal setting prior to any formal proposal. Gain their support for your idea. You may also consider asking your boss’s boss or retired employees as they can give your idea added credibility and promise. Be professional and ask your direct supervisor for permission before doing so.

Seal the cracks

Sit down and write out a detailed outline of your idea. Be direct and get to the point. Incorporate any recommendations into your report and explain how and what you can do to address each area of concern. Pay attention to the analyses section. There is no point in providing facts and other statistics if you cannot show how they contribute to your proposal. Explain how each figure supports your goals.

The BIG Day

The presentation is one of the most influential stages of any marketing plan or business proposal. Create that “positive mindset” that Amy Gallo refers to by building your goals on top of those set out by the company. Show the correlation by walking your audience through each stage of the proposal-getting quickly to the costs and benefits and continually referring back to your goals. Your audience must see what you see and realize the potential in your idea.

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People generally get nervous when they are required to speak in public. When their presentation is in front of their boss and his superiors, the level of intensity gets multiplied by about 100. If you get queasy or knots in your stomach with the idea of public speaking, we’ve got you covered. Here are 3 tips that will relieve the tension:

• Keep their Attention- Start your presentation off with energy – tell a story, share a joke or get your audience involved.  Also avoid the snooze factor in the middle of the presentation by doing something exciting like conducting a role play or showing a funny yet valuable video.

• Customize it – Build each presentation for your particular audience.  If they are a group of engineers or accountants, make sure to include lots of data and analysis.  If they are in sales and marketing, make it exciting.  Not sure who is in your audience, then make sure you have a bit of everything – data, visuals, stories, and excitement.  Remember it’s not about you but them.

• Pace – Plan each part of your presentation so you know if you are cutting into other sections when speaking. It’s a good idea to wear a watch or glance over at a clock periodically to ensure you are on track. Always leave extra time for questions or unexpected challenges or delays.

Interested in this week’s tip? Check out these great reads:

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. ~Margaret Mead

If you have the courage to begin with, you have the courage to succeed ~David Viscott

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation ~Herman Melville

The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction has to make sense ~Albert Einstein

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves ~Edmund Hillary

Everything you can imagine is real ~Picasso

When your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme. ~Jimmy Cricket

Laughter is the greatest weapon we have and, we, as humans use it the least ~Mark Twain

We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we are ~Talmud

The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes ~Tony Blair