On the Trails

Insights From the Road – Reinforcing the Process

Welcome to Insights From The Road, the e-newsletter of creativity from “The Gold Standard of Creativity Training,” Roger L. Firestien, Ph.D. Enjoy!

Reinforcing the Creative Process

People often ask me for something to help them remember the key points of my program following the presentation of either “Leading On The Creative Edge” or “Unleashing The Power Of Creativity.” Here they are!

Four Ways To Be More Creative

1. Phrase problems in a way they can be solved.

Statements like “We don’t have any money for this project” or “It’s too expensive” block your thinking. They tell your brain there are no solutions out there. Instead, ask questions like “How might we raise money for this project?” or “How might we reduce the cost?” They tell your brain the problem can be solved. The language we use dictates how we will go about solving a problem. So next time a problem confronts you, try asking “How to…?” or “How might…?” You’ll be that much closer to a solution!

2. Defer judgment and generate many ideas.

Alex Osborn, advertising guru and father of the creativity movement, developed the group creativity technique called “brainstorming.” The first two principles of brainstorming are:

1. Defer judgment. Criticism is the enemy of creativity. So save judgment for later, after youÕve generated plenty of ideas.
2. Strive for quantity. The more ideas you generate, the more likely you are to find a good solution Ñ or many good solutions.

Or, as Linus Pauling, the two-time Nobel Prize winner said, “The best way to come up with a good idea is to have many ideas.”

3. Evaluate ideas positively.

In my work, I’ve found it extremely effective to look at the strengths of ideas first. A great technique for positively evaluating ideas was developed by my colleagues Diane Fourcar-Szocki and Bill Shephard in the early 1980s. It’s called PPC, which stands for “Pluses, Potentials and Concerns.” Here’s how it works.

Once you’ve selected an idea that looks appealing, list at least three pluses – things that are good about the idea right now. Next, list the potentials – good things that may result if the idea were implemented. Phrase the potentials, “It might . . .” Now list concerns. Phrase concerns as problems to be solved, beginning, “How to . . . ” Now you’re ready to generate ideas for overcoming the concerns you listed. Overcome one concern at a time until they’re all handled. At this point, you’ll find the PPC technique actually makes the ideas better – they’re refined, improved, and ready to implement.

So don’t criticize. Instead, try PPC!

4. Take personal responsibility for your creativity.

Creativity isn’t something we do in addition to our regular work. It’s a way of doing our regular work. At its most effective, it’s a way of life. That means taking responsibility for your own creativity. So remember to use creativity techniques in every aspect of your professional and personal life.

What’s the single most important thing that distinguishes highly creative, productive individuals from everyone else? They are intensely curious and focus all their energy there. To stay creative, stay curious!

One final thing. Creativity, like any other skill, requires practice. Do something new each week. Find new ways to solve problems. Play imagination games with your children. Write a short story, poem or article. Think of a new way to show someone your love.

Now you’re ready. So let’s be creative out there!

Sincerely, Roger Firestien

“Insights From the Road” ™ is published irregularly by:

Roger L. Firestien, Ph.D.
PO Box 615
Williamsville, NY 14231-0615

For a free subscription to Innovation Espresso, the print newsletter of creativity, e-mail your mailing address to roger@rogerfirestien.com.

(c) 2003 Roger L. Firestien, Ph.D.
Phone 716-631-3564 Fax 716-631-2610

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