Creativity

Creativity"Capital isn't so important in business.

Experience isn't so important. You can get both these things. What is important is ideas. If you have ideas, you have the main asset you need, and there isn't any limit to what you can do with your business and your life."— Harvey Firestone

“Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing. Innovation is the production or implementation of an idea. If you have ideas, but don’t act on them, you are imaginative but not creative.” — Linda Naiman

Creative Is . . .

Naiman, L. (2010). What is creativity? Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.creativityatwork.com/articlesContent/whatis.htm

“Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being…creativity requires passion and commitment. Out of the creative act is born symbols and myths. It brings to our awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The experience is one of heightened consciousness-ecstasy.”—Rollo May, The Courage to Create

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Naiman, L. (2010). What is creativity? Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.creativityatwork.com/articlesContent/whatis.htm

“A product is creative when it is (a) novel and (b) appropriate. A novel product is original not predictable. The bigger the concept, and the more the product stimulates further work and ideas, the more the product is creative.”—Sternberg & Lubart, Defying the Crowd

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Naiman, L. (2010). What is creativity? Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.creativityatwork.com/articlesContent/whatis.htm

What is creativity?the process of producing something that is

both original and worthwhileLooking at things in new waysFinding ways to solve problems.

What can creativity do?How has creativity affected our lives?

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CuriositySeeing Problems as Interesting and Acceptable Confronting Challenge Constructive Discontent OptimismSuspending JudgmentSeeing Hurdles as leading to improvements and

solutionsPerseveranceFlexible Imagination

Creativity Traits

Rowse, D. (2007, May 9). 9 Attitudes of highly creative people. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/05/09/9-attitudes-of-highly-creative-people/

How do you demonstrate creativity?Challenge the usual: Ask, “What if…”,

“Why…?”Think backwards:

Determine the goal you want to achieveWork backwards to determine the steps needed

to get there.Be flexible—problems are opportunities

waiting for a solution: Post-It NotesBrainstorm now; judge later.

Believe in yourself. Positive self-encouragement works.

Use nonlogical thinking. Not everything has to make sense right away.

Free your mind! Don’t think of everything in practical form.

View problems as challenges that offer the opportunity to innovate.

Entertain all ideas. There is no such thing as a frivolous idea.

Demonstrating Creativity

Allen, K.R. & Meyer, E.C. (2006). Entrepreneurship and small business management (p. 51). Woodland Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

Relax! Relaxation is a key part of the creative process.

Have a playful attitude. Don’t worry about looking foolish.

Look at failure as a learning experience that will lead to success.

Model creative behavior. Anyone can learn to think creatively.

Develop listening skills. You can learn a lot by listening to other people talk about their wants and needs.

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Allen, K.R. & Meyer, E.C. (2006). Entrepreneurship and small business management (p. 51). Woodland Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

1. Commit Yourself to Developing Your Creativity

2. Become an Expert

3. Reward Your Curiosity

4. Realize that Creativity is Sometimes Its Own Reward

Developing/Enhancing Creativity

Cherry, K. (n.d.). How to boost your creativity. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/how-to-boost-creativity.htm

5. Be Willing to Take Risks

6. Build Your Confidence

7. Make Time for Creativity

8. Overcome Negative Attitudes that Block Creativity

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Cherry, K. (n.d.). How to boost your creativity. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/how-to-boost-creativity.htm

9. Fight Your Fear of Failure

10. Brainstorm to Inspire New Ideas

11. Realize That Most Problems Have Multiple Solutions

12. Keep a Creativity Journal

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Cherry, K. (n.d.). How to boost your creativity. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/how-to-boost-creativity.htm

…13. Create a Mind

MapA mind map is a great

way to connect ideas and look for innovative answers to questions. Create a mind map by writing down a central topic or word. Next, link related terms or ideas around the central word.

Cherry, K. (n.d.). How to boost your creativity. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/how-to-boost-creativity.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MindMapGuidlines.svg

14. Challenge Yourself

15. Try the "Six Hats" Technique

16. Look for Sources of Inspiration

17. Create Opportunities for Creativity

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Cherry, K. (n.d.). How to boost your creativity. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/how-to-boost-creativity.htm

18. Consider Alternative Scenarios

19. Create a Flow Chart

20. Try the Snowball Technique

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Cherry, K. (n.d.). How to boost your creativity. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/how-to-boost-creativity.htm

Using Creativity to Solve ProblemsProblems are really opportunities!Routine problem solving means doing the

same thing over and over to come up with the same old solutions.

Creative problem solving includes coming up with new, innovative ways to handle situations.

Look at problems in different ways. Make novel combinations. Force relationships. Make their thoughts visible. Think in opposites. Think metaphorically. Prepare. Set a Goal.

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Eikenberry, K. (2008, February 21). Eight ways to generate more ideas in a group. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.innovationtools.com/Articles/ArticleDetails.asp?a=300

Practice brainstorming.When you brainstorm, you think freely to

generate ideas. During brainstorming, ideas are not judged as good or bad. Even those that seem silly should be given a fair hearing initially.

Applying Creativity

Allen, K.R. & Meyer, E.C. (2006). Entrepreneurship and small business management (p. 51). Woodland Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

…Look at ordinary

items in new ways.Find a simple item

and figure out how many new products or uses you can find for it. With practice, you’ll get better at seeing things in a different light.

Allen, K.R. & Meyer, E.C. (2006). Entrepreneurship and small business management (p. 51). Woodland Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

Find creative solutions to common problems.When you find yourself perplexed by a

problem, think about how to find a solution. Have you ever used a flat-head screwdriver to pry something open? That’s finding a creative solution to a problem.

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Allen, K.R. & Meyer, E.C. (2006). Entrepreneurship and small business management (p. 51). Woodland Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

Connect unrelated items.Ask a friend to put together a tray of different

items. Then try to come up with a new product from the items. This forces you to look at things in new ways.

Allen, K.R. & Meyer, E.C. (2006). Entrepreneurship and small business management (p. 51). Woodland Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

Examples of Creativity in BusinessDid you ever think, “WOW!! Why didn’t I

think of that?”Red Box started by McDonald’s to get more

people into the restaurant Amazon.com started as an on-line book store.

Jeff Bezons wanted the name to start with an “A” so it would be listed early in alphabetical order