Developing Your Creativity

GETTING STARTED
Everyone has creative talent, but many people lack confidence in their own creativity.
“I’m not very creative” is a common lament, even from people who manage their careers
well and are extremely successful in bringing value to the businesses where they work. In
fact, developing a more efficient approach to your own workload or introducing a time-
saving project management system requires considerable creativity. So the term creativity
can have a much broader meaning than simply being possessed of artistic talent.

FAQS
I think creativity is born, not made. I’m not naturally a creative person,
that’s all.
Creativity is certainly born—in all of us. Developing this talent depends on finding a
channel for its expression. Think of something you enjoy doing, an interest that you’ve
held for some time but never really explored. Even if it’s been in the back of your mind
as a vague idea, if you focus on it and keep at it, your creative talent will begin to
blossom. Many people start to draw or paint in this way. It starts as a whim, continues
with lots of practice, and ends with some wonderfully inspiring works. Most important,
regardless of the outcome, newly discovered creativity can bring you personal joy and a
belief in your own creative powers.
Some of my coworkers are incredibly creative, but they just don’t seem to
be able to make anything of it. How can you actualize creative expression
in the real world?
Some people love to explore ideas but don’t have the interest or patience to turn ideas
into action. But ideas in themselves are valuable—in fact, most research and development
begins with ideas. Instead of dismissing these people as dreamers, see if there’s a niche in
your organization where their skill can be encouraged and nurtured. Such people can be
very valuable members of a product or service innovation group.
Organizations can’t afford to waste time on fluffy, self-indulgent thinking.
What’s the business case for letting creativity loose?
Even the most logically derived thinking is born of the creative impulse, and in today’s
business environment, where good ideas are the only way of differentiating yourself from
the competition, this creative impulse is incredibly valuable. Some physicists believe that
the smallest particle of matter is a thought, that we literally create our own reality. Surely
organizations can use this force to generate the kind of innovation that enables them to
excel in their industry or market.

© A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2006

I see my children being naturally creative. How can I make sure that this
quality isn’t squashed in them?
Preschool children don’t yet comprehend the rules that tell them they can’t do certain
things. Try to keep their imagination alive by allowing them to express themselves in
their own way. Let them challenge the acceptable, and give them a framework for making
their own independent choices. Give them some questions to ask of their rule-breaking
activities: could doing this hurt myself or anyone else? What else could I do with this
idea? What might happen if I really do this? Giving your children tools for analyzing
their actions will help keep them safe and may actually help broaden their patterns of
thinking.

MAKING IT HAPPEN
Look at the World Around You
Developing creativity requires the same amount of thought and attention as developing
any other skill. Although some people do seem to be more innately creative than others,
it’s wrong to think that some individuals have it and others don’t. Creativity is a natural
form of human expression.
Take a look at the world you’ve created around yourself. Your home and workspace are a
creative expression of who you are and so are the social networks you’ve created for
yourself. What about the gifts you give to the special people in your life, or the hobbies
and activities you like? Think about your role at work; what have you done differently
from others who have held your job? What kind of relationships have you developed with
your coworkers? What positive impacts have these had? All these things are evidence of
your creativity. All any of us needs to do is to recognize that creativity takes many forms,
become aware of the process, and work on making it a conscious activity.
Useful Techniques
A number of conscious techniques have been shown to promote the flow of creativity.
• Brainstorming. Brainstorming generates a free flow of ideas, associations, and
concepts, however foolish they may seem at the outset. Energy generated by a
brainstorming group is contagious, fostering creative leaps and jumps. The speed
of the process bypasses the logical circuitry of the left side of the brain, allowing
imaginative ideas from the right side—the creative side—to emerge uncensored—
perhaps offering possibilities for innovative products or services.
• Finding the Zone. Artists, athletes, and craftspeople often experience the
phenomenon of being in the creative zone, a state in which it’s almost as if they
are running on automatic pilot. This usually happens when people are so totally
absorbed in what they’re doing that their creative energy takes over and generates
its own momentum. Total concentration seems to switch something in the brain
that enables pure, unrestrained expression. Science confirms that there are
chemical and biological changes accompanying this state.

© A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2006

 • Stimulating the Creative Side of the Brain. The right side of the brain is
where intuitive and creative abilities reside; the left side is where logical thinking
takes place. A number of techniques exist that allow you to switch consciously
from left side to right, thereby enabling you to tap into your reserves of
inspiration and innovation. One activity that can trigger this is to write or draw
with your nondominant hand, simply allowing your instinct to direct your muscles.
The result is a product of the creative side of the brain. Visualization can also be
helpful. Close your eyes and draw what’s in your mind’s eye. Your imagination is
also part of your right-brain activity.
Writing down a few pages of your thoughts on a daily basis—whatever comes into your
mind—can also open up channels of creativity. It’s important not to get in your own way
as you write—just let ideas flow without judging or filtering them. You may feel self-
conscious or awkward at first, but if you keep at it you’ll find that your mind is much
freer and your expression more fluid. Your ability to formulate ideas, think abstractly,
and make decisions is likely to improve, while counterproductive tendencies like having
tunnel vision or being judgmental will diminish.
• Relaxation/Meditation. Logical thinking generates beta waves in the brain.
Meditation and relaxation techniques produce alpha waves, whose myriad
positive effects include creative thought. With practice, you can meditate even in
the midst of chaos—in an airport or on a city street. Certain breathing techniques
can also help clear your mind and change your brain activity from beta to alpha
waves. The alpha state has been found to be an exceptionally good way to
enhance learning, as it clears the path for new thoughts and inspiration.
Listening to soothing, uncomplicated music is another way of tuning your brain into a
different wavelength.
• Doing Something Out of Context. Being creative is about breaking habits
and being open to new thoughts and experiences. Try doing something that
you’ve never done before—something undemanding like going to an event that
you wouldn’t normally be interested in, or taking a different route to work. You
may be amazed at how such a simple change can open the creative floodgates.
If you’re struggling to solve a particularly difficult problem, try asking a child or elderly
relative. Without the clutter of knowledge (or, in the elderly relative’s case, with the
wisdom of experience), someone coming fresh to the problem can often trigger insights
that can prove useful.

COMMON MISTAKES
You Don’t Keep an Open Mind
People who don’t have time for, or don’t value, creative talent often miss out on a flow of
ideas that just might contain the germ of the next big thing. Allowing creative energy the
freedom to express itself without restraint or censure is the best way to reap its benefits.

© A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2006

You Don’t Do a Reality Check
Just because an idea is exciting it doesn’t mean it will be useful! Organizations looking
for a unique product may be tempted to pick up on ideas that really have very little
mileage in them. Build a reality check into your development process to ensure that only
those ideas that are viable actually end up on the market. If you get the timing or context
wrong, you’re likely to make big, often expensive, mistakes.
You’re Not Receptive Enough to New Ideas
Sometimes ideas are dismissed simply because they threaten the status quo or challenge
long-held, never-questioned values. Bottled water is a good example. It was launched at a
time when drinking water was considered to be a commodity freely available to all. What
originally seemed like a commercial nonstarter has turned into a major sector of the
beverage market. Always ask yourself “On what basis am I rejecting this idea?” If your
dismissal is coming from habit or old assumptions, step back and think again.
You Give Up Too Easily
Don’t expect too much of yourself too soon. Our pragmatic, do-it-now, bottom-line
society doesn’t always value the creative process. Taking steps to develop your own
creativity may feel awkward to you and seem odd to others. Be patient and give yourself
exploring time—free from censorship—before abandoning the effort. Rewards are often
immediate, but if they aren’t, or you feel you need support, seek a teacher or mentor who
can help you to unleash the latent power of your right brain.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Books:
de Bono, Edward. Six Thinking Hats. Revised ed. New York: Little, Brown, 1999.
Miller, William, with Janice Lawrence. The Flash of Brilliance Workbook. Cambridge,
MA: Perseus, 2000.
McCoy, Charles W., Jr. Why Didn’t I Think of That? Think the Unthinkable and Achieve
Creative Greatness. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002.
Von Oech, Roger. A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative.
New York: Warner Books, 1998.
White, Shira, with G. Patton Wright. New Ideas About New Ideas. Cambridge, MA:
Perseus, 2002.
Web Sites:
Creativity at Work: www.creativityatwork.com
creativityportal: http://creativityportal.searchking.com
Creativity Web: http://members.optusnet.com.au/~charles57/Creative/index2.html
Mind Tools: www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_CT.htm

© A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2006