Aunt Polly's Fence
Over 100 years ago Mark Twain created a wonderful story about how Tom Sawyer creatively tricked several friends into doing his work: painting Aunt Polly's fence. Now you too can gain from Tom's creativity. This time you will let the white paint do the work for you.
Two people were the inspiration for this Cre8 Thinking Tool: Tom Sawyer and John Ostrowski (research manager at Pittsburgh Paint). John has often demonstrated the power of using a thesaurus and "forced relationships"
Years ago when his company was looking for a new paint, one that did not use titanium, John and his researchers created the cre8v thinking tool I call Aunt Polly's Fence or White Paint.
In John and his fellow researcher's case they wrote the two key words on individual flip charts: white and paint. They they began to brainstorm for words or things that were like these words, i.e.:
Then they examined the words within the lists asking questions: why, what, when, where, how. Until one of them saw the connections between snow, ice, clouds, water and "white" and "reflections".
They began to ask why can something look white when it is not white? The answer...reflection. How did the reflections occur? They all are crystal forms. Then they asked is there a solution that is clear yet when it dries it crystalizes causing reflections and the apprearance of whiteness. They answer....acryllic.
From that they began their research that led to a new "white paint" that does not use titanium.
In that case the "white paint" did they work. The problem or goal provided the solution.
Now it is your turn.
* Look at one of your challenges that has you blocked, stymied, stopped.
* Look for the key words.
* Write them down on separate sheets of paper, flip charts, chalkboards.
* Then begin to list every word you can. Do this over several settings, perhaps even days apart until you have lists of 50 words of more.
* Then look for patterns. Look for leads within your lists.
* Develop lists of questions asking how items from one column, A, can effect or change or produce column B or column C.
Better yet. Take Tom Sawyer's approach get other people to do it for you.
Good luck let your challenges provide you answers, leads, solutions.
