Creativity Rocks! There are few things that are more satisfying than coming up with a creative solution to a vexing problem. In fact, the feeling you get from finding a clever way out of a mess, of seeing old things in a new ways, or of making something from nothing can be wonderfully addictive. Unfortunatley, most people aren't encouraged to be creative in their everyday lives. They are given very specific instructions about what to do, whether in school or at work, and are measured by how accurately they replicate what others have done. This is a huge missed opportunity all the way around. Below are some of my favorite video clips of thought leaders talking about the value of creative problem solving. Tom Kelley of IDEO talks about the habits you can adopt to make yourself more creative: Marrisa Mayer of Google talking about the importance of contraints in stimulating creativity: My favorite video clip of venture capitalist, Vinod Khosla, talking about how all problems are opportunities
Thinking Methods: Creative Problem Solving They further divided the six stages into three phases, as follows: 1. Exploring the Challenge (Objective Finding, Fact Finding, and Problem Finding), Generating Ideas (Idea Finding), and Preparing for Action (Solution Finding and Acceptance Finding). Description: Since the arrival of the now classical Osborn-Parnes structure, any number of academic and business entities have re-sorted and renamed the stages and phases of what we now call the Creative Problem Solving Process (CPS). However, the originators' fundamental approach remains in tact. The Creative Problem Solving Institute of Buffalo, New York, has finessed the Osborn-Parnes process to include a divergent and a convergent stage within each of the six stages. In his 1988 book, Techniques of Structured Problems, Arthur B. Mess FindingData FindingProblem FindingIdea FindingSolution Finding Where to Learn CPS
Lateral thinking Lateral thinking is solving problems through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic. The term was coined in 1967 by Edward de Bono. [1] According to de Bono, lateral thinking deliberately distances itself from standard perceptions of creativity as either "vertical" logic (the classic method for problem solving: working out the solution step-by-step from the given data) or "horizontal" imagination (having many ideas but being unconcerned with the detailed implementation of them). Methods[edit] Critical thinking is primarily concerned with judging the true value of statements and seeking errors. Random Entry Idea Generating Tool: The thinker chooses an object at random, or a noun from a dictionary, and associates it with the area they are thinking about. Challenge Idea Generating Tool: A tool which is designed to ask the question "Why?" See also[edit]
Myths of Right-Brained Creativity "I'm not creative. I'm very left-brained." "My teachers killed my creativity ." "I'm just not into being all different and original and weird." As a creativity consultant, I often hear such comments. {*style:<b>MYTH #1: CREATIVITY = RIGHT HEMISPHERE </b>*}A recent study showed that a function of visual thinking is not solely a function of the right hemisphere. The puzzle required that architecture students visualize certain existing geometric shapes and if when assembled formed either a square or a rectangle. I think this assumption stems in part from an over-simplification of especially Roger Sperry's work in the 1960s on the split-brain hypothesis. We now know that creativity as well as—on the flip side—rational decisions are more whole-brained activities than some of us would like to imagine. {*style:<b>MYTH #2: LOGICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING = LEFT HEMISPHERE </b>*}The reverse is also true. Emotions are not, though, a strictly right-hemispheric function. {*style:<b>YOUR TURN Jeffrey
Learn How to Think Different(ly) - Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen by Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen | 10:24 AM September 27, 2011 In the Economist review of our book, The Innovator’s DNA, the reviewer wondered whether genius-level innovators such as Marc Benioff, Jeff Bezos, and Steve Jobs challenge the idea that working adults can really learn how to think differently and become innovators. We don’t think so. Reams of relevant research (including our own) proves Jobs right. But neither Steve Jobs nor Apple nor any other high-profile innovator or company has a corner on the think-different market. Take Gavin Symanowitz, whom we recently met in South Africa. Innovators (of new businesses, products, and processes) spend almost 50% more time trying to think different compared to non-innovators. If thinking different can make such a positive difference, why don’t more people spend more time doing it? Just do It. Shake it up. Repeat. As a leader, how often do you think different?
Collaboration Beats Smarts In Group Problem Solving Stupidity Rules for Creative Professionals I'm having trouble being stupid. Productively stupid, that is. I have infinite reserves of unproductive stupidity—ignoring my car's oil light, losing my wallet, hiring the wrong person. That's the variety of a presidential candidate forgetting during a national debate which federal agencies he wants to eliminate ("Oops"). Productive stupidity is something else. But I'm getting ahead of myself with that know-it-all assertion. A lot of popular advice being doled out about creative productivity has its catchy truisms: Get things done. Creative activists' advice stems in part from a deep-rooted backlash to previous creativity theorists. In part. "If you want to help people cultivate their creativity, don't give them more wonder." So here's where I question and take exception. I don't know. Do you see how much trouble I have being productively stupid? From what? Microbiologist Martin A. "Productive stupidity means being ignorant by choice. So how did he pull it off?
Feeling Words Emotional Intelligence | Emotional Literacy Feeling Words / Emotion WordsWords Describing Feelings and Emotions * = Newly created words Thanks to all the people who have contributed new words. Ordering Details Click here to make a donation for the list. The requested donation amount is 5 US dollars for personal use. If you want to pay by check, please email at the above email address to see where in the world I am these days! Thanks. Steve Alcohol Benefits the Creative Process Creative thought is something we often aspire to. Whether it’s in terms of artistic products, scientific discoveries, or business innovations, creative accomplishments drive advancement in much of what we do. But what sorts of things enhance creativity ? A popular belief is that altered cognitive processing, whether from sleep , insanity, or alcohol use, sparks creativity among artists, composers, writers, and problem-solvers. Why might being intoxicated lead to improved creativity? Think about the flip side of the coin. When people with lots of baseball knowledge, for example, are asked to come up with a word that forms a compound word with “plate,” “broken,” and “shot,” they are pretty bad at this task. So, could being intoxicated really help people to think more creatively? They recruited people (ages 21-30) who drank socially, via Craigslist, to come into their lab and, well, they got some of them drunk. For more on the link between brain power and performance, check out my book .
Therapy Dogs International “Tail Waggin’ Tutors” Children Reading to Dogs The main objective of this program is to provide a relaxed and “dog-friendly” atmosphere, which allows students to practice the skill of reading. Many of the children chosen for this program have difficulties reading and as a result have developed self-esteem issues. They are often self-conscious when reading aloud in front of other classmates. By sitting down next to a dog and reading to the dog, all threats of being judged are put aside. As we have stated, improving the child’s skill of reading is the major benefit of the program. A Handler in the DVD points out that it “builds excitement about reading.” Another benefit is the joy children get from being around a dog. Unfortunately, not all children are comfortable around dogs. This program is of course, geared to helping the children.
If You Are Creative, Are You Also Intelligent? According to an article in Newsweek , here in the United States we apparently have a creativity crisis . According to Kyung Hee Kim at the College of William and Mary, scores on the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking have been decreasing since the 1990's. The same article mentions that China is making a push to move away from rote memorization and adopt a more problem centered learning approach, perhaps like that of America. Contrast this with the results from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which examines 15-year-old students in 65 countries. The U.S. scored about average in science, above average in reading, and below average in math. China was first on all subjects, with Japan, Korea, Singapore and Finland trailing closely behind. According to the New York Times , Mark Schneider , a former commissioner of the U.S. Which clearly raises the question: Why is China trying to emulate America's educational system if they are already doing so well?
Potential Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS of ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Dawn Oakley OTR/L and Gail Bardin, OTR/L According to journalist Odean Cusack, “Anyone who has ever owned a pet will readily verify the benefits of associating with furred, feathered, or finned friends. Animals are fun to be with and comforting to hold. For children with special needs, the ability to interact with a dog, cat, or other furry friend can have a very positive impact upon their quality of life. The potential benefits of animal assisted therapy for children with special needs has been embraced by the Occupational Therapy staff at St. During the session, each child works with their occupational therapist either in their wheelchair or on a therapy mat arranged in a circle. For example, a child recovering from a traumatic brain injury experiences considerable difficulty dressing and grooming him/herself due to the loss of function in one arm.