Some people don’t think of themselves as creative, and yet all of us are. Having the best tools and methods available can make a big difference in getting the creative juices flowing.

In this session, you’ll learn about critical and creative thought systems, including methods to help you think creatively.

Techniques for Thinking Creatively

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is the first thing that comes to most people’s minds when we talk about creative thinking. In a brainstorming session, participants need to know that all ideas are encouraged and that their ideas are being asked for. This way, they will be less likely to filter their ideas and more likely to offer creative solutions. There are many ways to run a brainstorming session, and none is better than the other. Use a method that works for your group.

Before Brainstorming

Think about what you want to achieve by conducting a brainstorming session, who to include, and where you will conduct the session. (Sometimes it is best to brainstorm offsite, while other times it is not as important.) Try to establish an informal space and an informal approach so that people can allow their creative juices to flow. If you set this up as a typical meeting, participants may not be as ready to let the ideas flow. Also consider whether you should lead the session or if it might be better to have a guest facilitate.

During Brainstorming

We tend to set up meetings with people sitting around a table and facing each other. Consider instead if you can get people thinking, sharing, and opening up if they sit side-by-side, or with chairs arranged around a flip chart or whiteboard. Clarify some rules of engagement, including the fact that all ideas are welcome and there is no criticism or analysis of ideas during brainstorming; the time to analyze is after the ideas have been raised. Record all ideas to help stimulate more ideas and to see how many ideas can be generated. If you are using a smartboard or someone has a smart phone, you can also take pictures of the completed list for later reference.

After Brainstorming

Once brainstorming itself is finished, have the group look at the options that were presented and start circling the most promising ideas. For each promising idea, have the group take it a little further by making suggestions to make it possible to carry out or to make it practical or attractive as an option. Any constructive criticism should start with statements like:

• “What I like the best about that idea is…”
• “Have you thought about adding…”
• “What if we looked at it from this direction?”

Imagine the Opposite

Write down your idea and then ask people for ways to ensure that it will fail. Write all responses down and then reverse them.

Example: I want to write a newsletter about animals that people will read.

I will ask people: How do I write a newsletter that no one will read?

Possible answers:

• Use small, unreadable type
• Choose topics that aren’t relevant to people
• Offer impractical advice
• Don’t include experts

Reversed:

• Use large, readable type
• Choose topics that are relevant to people
• Offer practical advice
• Include experts

Breaking Down Assumptions

Try making a list of your assumptions about the current issue. Ask co-workers to add to the list. Then, rephrase each assumption as an open-ended question.

• Example: I assume that we will produce 10 widgets each day.
• Question: How can we make sure we produce 10 widgets each day?

Random Word Method

Another interesting technique is the random word method. First, open a dictionary. Then, close your eyes, choose a page, and point to a word. You must use the first word you choose. Then, write the word on a flip chart and try to figure out how that word applies to your problem. Perhaps you’re working on solutions for a decline in sales and your word is “tiger.” You could say that we need a tougher approach, or a brighter idea.

The Triad

Write your issue at the top of a piece of paper. Then divide the rest of the paper into three parts. Label the columns as: What Fascinates Me, A Perfect Situation, and What I’d Do If I Had More Time. Give yourself five minutes to fill out the sheet. Then, look for connections and focus on your favorite ideas.

Secret Characters

Think of someone that you really admire, like Albert Einstein, John Lennon, Bruce Lee, or Madonna. Now, think of your problem or issue through their eyes.

Don’t Re-Invent the Wheel

When you’ve solved a problem successfully, or if you hear about a creative solution, write the solution down in a log. Then, when you’re having trouble problem solving, refer back to the log to get your creative juices started. You may even be able to take certain elements of different solutions and bring them together to create a solution for your particular problem.

DeBono’s Thinking Hats

Edward DeBono is credited with designing a program for thinking that is well applied to a team process of making decisions, generating ideas, and avoiding things that bog a team down. Called Six Thinking Hats, the idea is to organize the team into separate strands of thinking to keep people focused, and to thoroughly analyze a problem.

Each person is assigned to a particular hat and responsible for putting that type of thinking into the discussion.

• White Hat: Facts, figures, and information that is already known or needed.
• Red Hat: Emotions and feelings, including hunches and intuition.
• Black Hat: Devil’s advocate, negative judgment, difficulties, asks why it will not work.
• Yellow Hat: Brightness and optimism, positive, constructive, and why something may work.
• Green Hat: Creative, possibility, solutions, movement, provocation.
• Blue Hat: Process management, benchmarks, staying focused, action plans, and implementation.

At first, people often feel a little awkward about using the different hats, especially if they are assigned a role that they are not completely comfortable with. Awkwardness passes as the benefits to the system becomes apparent. In order to get the team used to the process, apply it in the form of an occasional request to use one hat or to switch from the black hat to a different color.

The great value of the hats is that they provide thinking roles. A thinker can look at things from a different point of view by acting each of these roles. Without the formality of the hats, some thinkers would remain permanently stuck in their most comfortable or usual mode, instead of unleashing some creativity.