Notes from Creativity and Creative Problem Solving with Bill Shelton
Notes submitted by Erin Ryder, Kentucky Equine Research
We are facing a creative epidemic – creative scores have declined every year since 1990.
How you learn to use your brain.
Left = analytical side, looks for facts and solutions, searches for patterns, alternate meanings, and high-level abstraction. Locks ideas in before they escape.
Right = emotional side, scans deep-level memories for relevance.
Creativity doesn’t just “happen.”
Creative process; define the problem (narrow the target), fact-finding (learn as much as possible), problem-finding (anticipate obstacles), idea finding (generate ideas), solution finding (choose which works best), plan of action (bring to life and execute).
Generate ideas solo, come together to share and collaborate.
E-mail causes us to multi-task in a way our brains weren’t designed to. We’re supposed to focus.
Watching TV eliminates brain function. People age 60+ average 50 hours a week of TV viewing.
Barriers to creativity: suggestion box (where ideas go to die), multi-tasking, lack of rest.
How to improve creativity?
- Find your on switch. Learn to turn on your right brain. Goal is to strengthen myelin, the sheath around nerve – thicker myelin, quicker nerve impulse energy travels through brain.
- Write your name backward, upside down, from every angle. Switch hands. Get your brain out of regular pattern.
- Write down a question with your right hand. Switch the pen to your left hand and write down the first thing that pops into your brain.
- Move your body in different ways – learn a dance step or yoga position, walk backward, etc.
- Train yourself to have epiphanies. Think of a problem, then walk away and do something unrelated. (The “Dr. House” method!)
- Follow a passion. Specialists have better discipline.
- Cross-cultural experiences force people to adapt and be more flexible. Learn a new language.
- Coax creativity – don’t try to bully people into it.
We’re creatures of habit. We’re not wired for change.
Emotional actions vs rational responses. Controlling both is key to balance. Find what works and follow it – see where you’re successful and duplicate. Be tactical and take it a step at a time. Keep the goal in sight.
- Motivate your emotions. Make a change seem small, even if it’s big. Think better, different.
- Allow others to adopt the idea for buy-in.
- Changing the situation will change behaviors.
- Make the choice to be excited + positive. It’s contagious.
- Ask for help. Collaboration will help solve problems, encourage innovation.
- Redefine success in creative terms. Reward creative thinking. Look at long-term and encourage BIG ideas.
- Eliminate fear of failure in the workplace to encourage creativity. Rough concepts are ok – don’t expect a finished product off the bat. Finished ideas don’t grow the same way.
- Encourage friendships among staff. Trust breeds creativity. Internal competition hinders it.
- Brainstorm smart: Present the problem and core strategy. Have everyone come back with individual ideas, then encourage collaboration to flesh them out.