2008 Happy Holidays

2008 has been an interesting year of travel, fun, friends (past, present and pfuture) and food. Here is my 2008 Holidays Card depicting many of the places I have been and the friends I had time to play with in England from London to Greenwich to Syde in the Cotswolds to Singapore to Sarasota, Florida to Silver Bay Lake in New York to western Tennessee to a Y camp outside Toronto to Myrtle Beach, SC, to South Africa.

May your Holidays be filled with wonder and fun with family and friends.

Alan

Happy Holidays

2008HappyHolidays

Posted via Pixelpipe.

Connections in Your Workplace Develop Leader Relations

Through working for 48 years, studying workplace dynamics, writing, and helping people develop their workplace skills in leading, communicating, teaming and creative thinking and problem solving I have discovered one of the areas or skills we all need to continually develop is

CONNECTING

We need to get to know the people we work with.

1. fellow employees
2. supervisors
3. managers
4. leaderz

from the front door to the top floor when possible.

5. vendors
6. customers/clients/patients
7. suppliers

Looking back over my career I can recall hundreds of examples of the most liked and most successful people from sales to design to research to manufacturing to shipping to management and the one common trait that the more successful ones had was

CONNECTING

they met and got to know people in an open and honest way.

So my tip is....

a. begin by introducing yourself to 1 to 5 new people each day
b. then keep in touch weekly or monthly depending upon how you are connected.
c. ask how you can help them
d. when you need help ask them

Best wishes for a continually more successful career day by day.

Alan
alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

Communicating, whether by email, letter, memo, meeting, face to face in the
hallway or on the phone is another opportunity to connect with the people we
work with and to develop stronger relationships.

When you communicate, no matter what way you choose, think about the
receiver, listener or reader.

Do they want facts and figures?
Do they have a tendency to have a vivid imagination?
Do they prefer people to be friendly and personable?
Do they prefer messages to be grammatically and systematically correct, even
correct spelling?

If so, then write in that way. Honor their way of communicating. It is like
speaking their language as you would with someone from another country.

Each day we all make small to medium size mistakes through communication
that can cost our organizations a few dollars and many thousands of dollars.

Re-read at list twice to three or even four times to be sure what you are writing
or sending is what you truly want to be read and understood.

Before you speak, practice and think about it in your head. You might even
write down notes so that you can check your thoughts.

Have a great day and week.

Alan
alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

I just accidentally discoverd SHELL OIL's newest creativity website.

http://www.shell.com/home/PlainPageServlet?FC=/aboutshell-en/html/iwgen/shell_real/shell_solutions/films/app_view_film.html

Go to that URL and watch the EUREKA! video about the discovery of the concept behind the

SNAKE DRILL

It was invented by a Dutchman.

Back in the 1980s SHELL OIL had internal creativity development workshops. I worked with one of the trainers a couple years later.

Now they seem to be doing it again.

Go to the SHELL OIL website and look at the May 2nd issue of BUSINESS WEEK for more info about the drill.


Alan

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.

Curiosity is the Great Gift of ALL Children

Have you watched children play (work) recently?

One of their greatest skills, traits, abilities is their ever present curiosity about EVERYTHING.

How about you? How often today have you been curious about anything in your job, profession, life, environment, world?

For 30 years I have been working on expanding and enriching my creativity and my creative thinking and problem solving skills and helping others do the same.

Today to expand your curiosity again try some of the following.

a. look for everything that is of one color around you (red, blue, green, orange) one color at a time.
b. look for everything that is of one shape (square, triangle, circle, etc.)
c. watch life: insects, animals, people...simply watch what happens

For more ways to expand and enrich your creativity go to...

http://www.cre8ng.com/CC/index.shtml

Have a great creative day.

Alan
http://www.cre8ng.com
alan@cre8ng.com

Little Things Can Stop Creativity
By Robert Alan Black, Ph.D.

"Being creative requires that we venture into unknown territory and chance failure."
“No money can stop a creative project.”
“No resources can stop a creative project.”
“No support can stop a creative project.”

Yes major things or forces can stop creativity. Yet when we look at the history of invention or in general the history of new ideas we can discover that these major forces truly do not stop the devoted, committed, dedicated creation person.

No money, resources, support did not stop:

0. Ghandi
0. Mother Teresa
0. Charles Goodyear
0. Harriet Tubman (underground railroad during the Civil War)
0. Henry Ford
0. Chester Carlson (inventor of the Xerox process)
0. nor many others from the distant or recent past.

One key difference for them was their determination. Yes eventually money, resources and support came or was acquired.

They enabled the creative person to take their idea and turn it into a larger and larger solution.

Yet the little things are what stop most of us from utilizing our creativeness long before we get to tapping the big resources for future giant success or breakthrough.

To read the rest of the article go to...

http://www.cre8ng.com/newsletter.shtml

and scan down to the article with the same title.

Have a great creative day, week, month, life

Alan
http://www.cre8ng.com
alan@cre8ng.com

12 Cornerstones of Productive Leading

The primary foundation of the 12 Cornerstones of Productive Leading is

COMMUNICATION.

The most effective, efficient and productive leaders are excellent communicators, learn to be superb communicators or surround themselves with people who communicate for them.

Here are some times to help you further develop your communication skills.

Alan
http://www.cre8ng.com


12 Cornerstones of Productive Leading

1. Communication
2. Consistent
3. Centered
4. Compromise
5. Confidence
6. Caring
7. Creditability
8. Control
9. Commitment
10. Creative
11. Challenges
12. Competence

1. Communication

How are your communication skills developing: one on one, in teams, in front of large groups?

Are you practicing some of the skills and tips we covered in Command College daily, weekly, monthly?

How would you rate your communication skills now compared to a month ago? …a year ago?

Some tips to remember…

1. S.T.I.R.

Show, Tell, Involve, Reach each person. Don’t just do only one of these.

2. Remember the people you are communicating with.

M Be logical with those who prefer that.
I Be creative and encourage others who are to be creative and ask for lots of feedback until you both agree on what was said.
N Be personal with those who prefer people to be.
D Be systematic and provide concrete examples and proofs for those who prefer that from other people.

3. Watch for body language, facial expressions, actions, eye movements to verify what people are saying and hearing.

4. Put the emphasis on them…Whats In It For Me!

5. Watch for body language, facial expressions, actions, eye movements to verify what people are saying and hearing.

6. Put the emphasis on them…Whats In It For Me!

Alan
Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP
http://www.cre8ng.com
for more information...
http://www.cre8ng.com/cre8ngcommunities.htm

Developing Cre8ng Communities
Throughout Your Entire Workplace,
June 13, 2006

Contents

1. Choosing to Be Creative
2. Creative Thinking Igniter
3. Creative Thinking Point
4. Creative Thinking Tool of the Week
5. Creative Books to Explore
6. Creativity Websites to Explore
7. Article to Expand Your Creativity


1. Choosing to Be Creative

After 30 years of working in the field of creative thinking development I am convinced the first necessary step is …

Choose to Be Creative as Often as You can be each day


2. Creative Thinking Igniter:

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."
Charles Darwin, scientist

3. Creative Thinking Point:

Accept that ALL people in ALL cultures around the entire globe are born with the capacity to be creative. Yet, as research by E, Paul Torrance showed, most children have put away their creative thinking abilties/traits/skills by the 4th grade and other by the 10th. Only a small minority continue to capitalize on their creativity. Some of them become highly successful. Others simply lead creative lives throughout their lives.

Yes being creative is a GIFT, a gift that is given to everyone. Unfortunately too many people forget where they left the GIFTS.


4. Creative Thinking Tool of the Week:

When you need to ignite your creative thinking simply play with the word
C - R - E - A - T - E

Combine ideas, facts, pieces of the puzzle
Rearrange ideas, facts, pieces of the puzzle
Erase parts
Alter parts or perspectives
Try different ways to do it
Enlarge, expand, energize, explode some of your ideas


5. Creative Books to Explore:

HOW TO HAVE KICK-ASS IDEAS
By Chris Barez-Brown
Principal of ?WhatIf! of London, England

The book helps you get curious, get adventurous, get creative!!!


6. Creativity Websites to Explore:

Visit the Odyssey of the Mind website
http://www.odyssey.org/

“How We’re Changing Transportation

Emphasize benefits of diverse transit, walking and biking choices.
Promote both policy reform and service improvements and look for links between the two.

Build powerful coalitions and find win-win solutions.
Conduct trainings, outreach and education to diverse stakeholders.
Organize communities to get more involved in transportation decisions.
Provide technical assistance to transit agencies and community groups.
Create positive, substantive, lasting changes in California's transportation system and quality of life.”


7. Article to Expand Your Creativity:

Being Serious
Won't Make You Silly,
Yet Being Silly
Can Help You Be More Serious

Number 6 Cartoon Drawing of Robert ALAN Black

Over 35 years of working in creative fields and working with people striving to be more creative or use more creativity I have discovered that silly has its place in the serious workplace.

Since first attending CPSI in 1978 I have met hundreds of consultants, business leaders, managers, trainers and educators that have shared how they use silly as a serious creativity tool.

To read the entire article go to….

http://www.cre8ng.com/newsletter/news06.shtml


Best wishes to you for a creative week this week.

Remember it is always your choice to be creative.


Alan
http://www.cre8ng.com

This Week's Guest Article:

This was written by a professional speaker friend in Hawaii Loren Ekroth.


HOW TO BECOME A PEOPLE MAGNET


What makes a person so attractive that people are
magnetically drawn to them? Think of people
you are drawn to, that you like to be around.
What makes them such people magnets?

Of course, physical attractiveness helps, as
does celebrity. But for most of us who are
neither physical "10s" or famous, we can still
become highly attractive to others. Here's how:

SHOW GENUINE INTEREST IN OTHERS

This behavior is in relatively short supply because
so many people are self-centered or self-absorbed,
more interested in how they are being seen than
in others. Because most humans get great
satisfaction from others' interest in them, when
you bestow your interest on others, they like
being around you. Everyone has a story to tell.
Be curious and listen to their story.

Being curious is within your control. Remember
the interpersonal style of the TV detective Columbo
played by Peter Falk? Express genuine interest.
He showed a non-intrusive curiosity that even
suspects were willing to respond to. When you
ask questions sincerely and gently, you'll learn a
lot, and others will be honored that you want to
know about them and their ideas.

BE EASY TO BE WITH

Have a light touch, and don't take yourself too
seriously. Avoid being touchy - cactussy -
with lots of judgments and stern opinions.
Don't be argumentative trying to be right.
Be generous with compliments and open
to others' points of view.

(These behaviors are also within your control.)

HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR

Humor doesn't require you to have a stash of jokes
to tell. (Joke-telling makes YOU, not them, the center
of attention). Instead, humor involves being able to
see the lighter side of life, to laugh at the foibles
of humanity, and to acknowledge the silly side
of yourself. Overly-serious people can be a drag,
as you know. Don't be one of them.

BE AN ARTESIAN WELL OF INFORMATION

Be a person "in the know." Be aware of practical
stuff ("Where can I get a good deal on a bedroom
set?") as well as people ("Talk to George about
that tech problem; he's a real maven about
computing.") You can become a "hub" among
people who will value you as one who knows
many others in some depth.

If we remain narrowly interested in only a few subjects
and not widely knowledgeable, it's more difficult to talk
about the many interests of people we meet. Being
a narrow specialist can make us a bore. Be a generalist.

DON'T BE A KNOW-IT-ALL

Even if you know a lot, don't be a smart-ass.
Being knowledgeable helps you relate to others,
but not if you use your knowledge to show off,
one-up others, and try to have the last word.
Hold your knowledge lightly and don't feel com-
pelled to always share what you know. Social
wisdom requires discernment of when to speak
and when to remain silent. (This is especially true
when we're with children or young people.)
Carry your knowledge with some humility.


Dr. Loren Ekroth is a speaker and international expert on conversation who publishes his "Better Conversations" ezine each Tuesday. Rich resources and f*ree subscription
available at his site, http://www.conversation-matters.com" (Highly recommended.)

Stop or Start to Advance






What are 5 things we would gain from stopping in order to advance our organizations?

My suggestion is that people focus on STARTING to do 5 things to
advance their organizations.

START:

1- Leading people when necessary and teach them to manage themselves and
their work.

2- Communicating more by listening 3 to 6 times more than you talk.

3- Developing teamwork skills in all employees so those skills will be used
when needed.

4- S.P.R.E.A.D.ng Creative Thinking throughout your entire workplace
(Supporting, Promoting, Recognizing, Encouraging, Applying, Developing).

5- Focusing on adding more meaningful FUN into your daily work. To quote
Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's, "If We Ain't Havin' Fun, Why the Hell
Are We Doing IT?"

And a bonus- Accept that Conflict is part of life and have your people trained
in a minimum of 5 strategies of dealing with conflict from the small to the
major things in your workplace.


alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

LEADERS APPEAR WHEN NECESSARY

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5327/1312/1600/200mecoloplastfair.0.jpg

My 46 years of working have shown me that when LEADERS are needed they APPEAR. They are not always the same people and they are not always people who hold a rank, title, or a position. They generally are the people with the skills needed and the respect of the people that need to be led at that moment.

For years I have given workshops and speeches titled:

AMERICANS HATE TO BE MANAGED AND WILL FOLLOW LEADERS THEY BELIEVE IN, AT LEAST FOR A SHORT WHILE.

We do not jump out of bed in the morning shouting and pounding our chests saying...

I WANT TO BE MANAGED

or

PLEASE LED ME

All human beings when treated with respect who are appreciated and trusted can get their jobs done best.

When all HELL breaks lose some times leaders need to appear to guide us until things settle down.

Leaders of companies, teams, volunteer groups can be helpful if their mission is trusted and believed in by the people who need to be led at the time.

Too often books on Leaders, Leading, Leadership are about mythical characters who too often only existed in name only.

The best "leaders" i have met or read about surrounded themselves with excellent people and focused on helping people accomplish joint goals of the group.

What do you think?

alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

LEADER MANAGER BOSS OR COORDINATOR

For the past 21+ years many books have been written about leadership.

Some have compared leader to manager.

Some have compared leader to boss.

Some have talked about leader styles.

Many have talked about traits, skills, characteristics of successful leaders.

All are valuable in one aspect or another.

My major challenge with most of them based upon reading and reviewing about 200 of them since 1984 has been most are focused on LEADERS AS HEROS, GIANTS, BIGGER THAN LIFE, MYTHS.

My 46 years of working plus studying leaders, leadership and leading over the past 25+ years has shown me more that what we need are people who can coordinate the work of other people either together in teams, groups or individually or in pairs whether long - range or short - range.

Leaders are nice.

It is nice to have a hero or heroine to relish, to follow, to believe in.

Please take 2 minutes to make a list of leaders you truly have followed, relished and believed who you directly worked with. Please do not include giants who you only read about in newspapers, magazines, hear about on television or read about in organization publications.

In most cases we don't have many to list.

Independent people (most Americans and many other people in other countries) hate to be MANAGED, they want their freedom. They will follow, at least in principle, leaders they believe in. Unfortunately the length of time that independent people believe in leaders is generally very short.

Too many cultures on this earth talk about how this leader or that leader saved their company, organization, country, state, city, town, church, synagoge.

My questions...

1. Was it the leader actually?
2. Was it what the leader stood for?
3. Was it because the past leader was so bad and the latest was new?
4. Was it that some things actually did change in the organization and allowed the people do actually do their jobs better and more correctly?

Too often leaders that are written about in newspapers, magazines, trade journals, books hold their positions for less than 3 years.

My experiences with over 50,000 supervisors and employees working in many companies, organizations, government agencies, military bases and universities and colleges has shown me that it typically takes 18 months to 3 or more years for new ideas that LEADERS try to get started. Then by the time the ideas, methods, processes, etc. get into practice the leader who promoted them is gone and there is a new leader to try their new ideas, methods, processes, etc.

Look at your job.

Do you need a leader?
a Manager?
a Boss?

or might you prefer to work WITH not FOR a coordinator whose responsibility to coordinate the work of several people.

Leaders are nice in chaos or catastrophe but 8 to 5 daily work seldom needs a leader.

What do you think?

Alan
alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

Are you SUPPORTING the SPREAD of Creative Thinking in your Organization?

Every day we can SUPPORT creative thinking in every employee from the front or back door to the executive floor of our organizations whether we are a small consulting firm or a giant manufacturing firm with offices and locations around the world.

The question today for you is....

ARE YOU SUPPORTING CREATIVE THINKING?

Hopefully you are.

HOW ARE YOUR SUPPORTING CREATIVE THINKING?

Are you sharing feedback, saying supportive things to people in the hallways, in meetings, in their work spaces?

Are you sending out messages that show your ongoing support?

Are you refraining from using KILLER PHRASES or as I call them TOMBSTONES of CREATIVITY...

it won't work
it won't fit the budget
the top won't accept it
it's too far out

Are you instead sharing supportive feedback...

looks interesting
keep working on it and let me know your progress
fit some time in with your other work and keep working at it
it seems far out yet may very well have great potential keep working on it

Your facial expressions
your body language
tone of voice
tone of your emails
ongoing encouraging comments

All these can play important parts in your ongoing efforts to truly SUPPORT CREATIVE THINKING in your organization from top down and back up again.

What else are you doing that SUPPORTS CREATIVE THINKING?

Please share your ideas, anecdotes, stories, examples.

Alan
http://www.cre8ng.com

alan@cre8ng.com

S.P.R.E.A.D.ng Creative Thinking can be a Daily Process

Over the past 30 years of working with people in different occupations, fields and professions from small companies or agencies to parts of large corporations I have observed that where creativity happens the most is where it is...

SUPPORTED
PROMOTED
RECOGNIZED
ENCOURAGED
APPLIED
DEVELOPED

consciously and unconsciously.

Let's start with examples of SUPPORTING.

1. accepting new ideas in meetings without criticism
2. providing time and resources for people to work on ideas in addition to their normal work
3. checking in with them on their progress
4. letting them share their ideas and progress in future meetings
5. being conscious of how with react to new ideas even those that seem strange initially
6. asking for the most unique ideas as well as the most immediately practical.

How else do you support creative thinking in yourself and others?

Alan

alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

Dumb Quotes Can Spark Wisdom or at Least Laughter

Sometimes in order to make progress and move ahead, you have to stand up and do the wrong thing
Ackerman, Gary Leonard
Explaining why he supported the new welfare bill

Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?
Answer: “I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever.
Alabama, Miss
Wise words from the 1994 Miss USA contest

Statistics have shown that mortality increases perceptibly in the military during wartime
Allais, Alphonse

I think we're on the road to coming up with answers that I don't think any of us in total feel we have the answers to
Anderson, Kim

So Carol, you're a housewife and mother. And have you got any children?
Barrymore, Michael

We owe a lot to Thomas Edison - if it wasn't for him, we'd be watching television by candlelight.
Berle, Milton

One survey found that ten percent of Americans thought Joan of Arc was Noah's wife…
Boynton, Robert

You reporters should have printed what he meant, not what he said
Bush, Earl

The sound of our guns is the sound of freedom
Bush, John Ellis 'Jeb'
Addressing the National Rifle Association

China is a big country, inhabited by many Chinese
De Gaulle, General Charles-André-Joseph-Marie

Things are more like they are now than they ever were before.
Eisenhower, President Dwight David

If the King's English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me!
Ferguson, Miriam Amanda (Ma) Wallace

I may not always be right, but I’m never wrong.
Goldwyn, Samuel

Include me out.
Goldwyn, Samuel

Television has raised writing to a new low.
Goldwyn, Samuel

If I could drop dead right now, I’d be the happiest man alive!
Goldwyn, Samuel

USA Today has come out with a new survey: Apparently three out of four people make up 75 percent of the population
Letterman, David

Alan
alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

Quotations Can Inspire

Throughout much of my life quotations have helped to inspire me. Over the past 25 years I have used quotations in my writing, speeches and workshops to help make points and hopefully inspire participants striving to learn more about creative thinking, leading, communicating and teaming.

Here are some I found today on the website and shared through an email.

What are some of your favorite quotations?

Be cautious that those wonderful, short, concise quotes are not out of context such as

Will Rogers is reported to have said

"I never met a man I didn't like."

What he actually said was...

"I never met a man I didn't like, until he opened his mouth."

here are a sample of quotes to think about

Beginning with this week I will begin the same exercise through the DEVELOPING
CRE8NG
COMMUNITIES Yahoo.com group. Each week I will send out quotes on the primary
topics
involved in Developing Cre8ng Communities:

Leading, Communicating, Teaming, Cre8ng

My suggestion to you is that you take a few minutes each day to think about the
specific
quote and ask yourself…

What do I think about this quote?
Do my life experiences and education agree and support it?
How might applying the wisdom behind it help me grow into a more PRODUCTIVE
LEADER?

Monday
Leaders grow; they are not made.
Peter F. Drucker

Tuesday
The only test of leadership is that somebody follows.
Robert K. Greenleaf

Wednesday
Leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the
heart.
Leadership is about inspiration—of oneself and of others.
Lance Secretan, Industry Week, 10/12/98


Thursday
Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes.
Lance Secretan, Industry Week, 10/12/98

Friday
Leadership is not a formula or a program, it is a human activity that comes from
the heart
and considers the hearts of others. It is an attitude, not a routine.
Lance Secretan, Industry Week, 10/12/98

Alan
alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

Every Manager CAN Increase the Creativity of Their People

Every Manager CAN Increase the Creativity of Their People

We as managers can increase the amount of creativity in our departments by helping our people be more creative. First we can compliment each employee when they share a new idea, whether it works or not. If we hear an idea that seems far out yet the employee seems excited and committed to it suggest they keep working on the idea and ask them to update you when they have it more worked out.

So often ideas seem dumb, out of place, out of whack and whatever never term we want to apply to them yet they may be the next "Post It" notes. Art Frei and his team worked on the concept and eventual product called Post It Notes for over 13 years. too often managers saw no future in it at 3M. This is the 30th anniversary of the release of them.

Too often we are immediately negative. Instead of being negative be supportive and encouraging.

Charles Kettering, inventor of the electric starter, freon and many other breakthroughs along with his staff, often said that inventors may fail 999 times but it is the 1,000 that can become the great solution.

Allowing your people to spend 10 to maybe 15% of their time or their own time on new ideas will increase their motivation and improve their commitment and the quality of their work. McNight, CEO of 3M, started the 15% policy at 3M in the 1940s in which employees are encouraged to spend up to 15% of their working time on new ideas, while completing their normal work in the other 85%.

alan

alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com

Creative Thinking is a choice

Creative thinking is a choice we can make every day of our lives. When you interview highly creative people, whether artists, writers, designers, business people, teachers or any profession or occupation you discover that they are more creative because they deliberately choose to be creative even when they don't feel creative.

Yes some days it seems stronger when perhaps our "creativce muse" is available. But if we work 8 hours a day, five days a week, 48 or more weeks a year our muse will be absent much of the time. We need to be creative when we need to be.

First step, choose to be.
Second step, read books on creative thinking
Third step, surround yourself with inspiring quotes that help jumpstart us
Fourth step, spend time with people who help spark us and we can help spark when they need help
Fifth step, use creative thinking throughout your life.

S.P.R.E.A.D.ng Creative Thinking throughout entire organizations from individuals to teams to departments to the complete company or agency requires deliberate actions that fit into six categories.

S - SUPPORTING CREATIVE THINKING AND CREATIVENESS IN ALL PEOPLE
P - PROMOTING CREATIVE THINKING AND CREATIVENESS IN ALL PEOPLE
R - RECOGNIZING CREATIVE THINKING AND CREATIVENESS IN ALL PEOPLE
E - ENCOURAGING CREATIVE THINKING AND CREATIVENESS IN ALL PEOPLE
A - APPLYING CREATIVE THINKING AND CREATIVENESS IN ALL PEOPLE
D - DEVELOPING CREATIVE THINKING AND CREATIVENESS IN ALL PEOPLE

Over the past nearly 30 years I have discovered that such an approach, plan, system will help any organization become much more creative and help them produce much more innovation yielding many benefits from morale and loyalty building to idea generating and solution discovery and creation in turn leading to profits and ongoing success.

The key is to do these things as a way of life, a philosophy not an occaissional program to spark short term creativeness alone.

I was just reading BLINK during a short airplane flight and found some of his key points in the first couple chapters fit the S.P.R.E.A.D.ng system. One specifically is the need to provide 5 positive comments per each negative. I would prefer that we stop giving negative ones or when we do for whatever reason we accept that we have and deal with it to turn it into a positive or at least a neutral or objective non-value related emphasis.

What do you think?

Alan

alan@cre8ng.com
http://www.cre8ng.com