What is creativity?  Creativity is bringing into existence an idea that is new to you.  What used to work or what works may not be the best solution today.  There might be a new approach that is more effective.

"Creative thinking" is an innate, natural ability we each posses.  However, many chose either not to utilize this skill or know how to tap it.  In addition to Brainstorming the following exercises can help increase your creativity and develop new approaches:

1. Reversing - You reverse the goal or challenge by changing key words or phrases to the opposite meaning.  Instead of asking, "How can we reduce mistakes?", you might ask, "How can we increase our quality?"

2. Why Method -  Keep asking the question, "Why?"  If you ask, "Why are we making so many mistakes?", the answer might be "Because there are no negative consequences for mistakes or positive consequences for quality". 

3. What If? -   "What if..."  we had $5,000 to invest in training?  What training would we offer?"  "What if..." we could..."   Asking "what if" questions opens the door to your creativity.  These two words can generate more options to choose from.

4. Guess - Looking for the "right" answer can block our creativity.  Guessing can break open the mental blocks.  If someone says "I don't know", try saying to them "Guess!" 

These techniques can help increase your effectiveness when diagnosing and solving problems.  Let me share with you the six steps I teach in my "New Thinking - Creative Problem Solving" workshop:

1. Identify the Problem - Write down specific observations/symptoms about the problem.  Can you break it down into parts?   To define a problem is to begin to solve it.  Write out a concise description of the problem.

2. Generate Solutions - There are more than two options-- list 15 of them!  (use the techniques discussed above)

3. Select a Solution - Compare potential solutions.  Can you combine any?  Start comparing options and narrow them down.  Decision Making is a process in which a person selects from two or more possible choices.

4. Develop a Detailed Written Plan - Write down everything you need to do to accomplish your goal.  Establish specific deadlines for completing each step.

5. Implement the Plan - Begin putting the plan into action.  "Just Do It!"

6. Follow-Up and Evaluate - How well is the plan is working?  If it isn't working, don't feel like you've failed.  Identify what you learned and go back to step 1, adjust and keep trying.

  I  hope you put these new skills to use and improve your creativity.  Next time we will look at how to unleash and harness motivation.  PowerTool Number 4 - Appreciation. is one of the most under utilized tools when it comes to motivating your people.

* (C) Copyright,  "POWER TOOLS - Building Blocks for Success."   Patrick J. Donadio, MBA, CSP, MCC.   All rights reserved.