Creativity Toolkit: A Guide for Individuals and Managers (2007)

Epilogue

The Creativity ToolkitA guidebook for Monday Morning

With Thanks to John Kao.

Creative Individuals

INDIVIDUALS

Define the Creative Problem.

SHAPE YOUR CREATIVE INSPIRATIONTRANSFORM YOUR INSIGHTS INTO IDEAS

ESTABLISH THE FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE CREATIVE PROCESS UNFOLDS

INDIVIDUALS

Clear the Mind.

CREATIVITY COMES TO A RECEPTIVE MINDYOU WANT A BLANK SHEET OF MENTAL PAPER

FIND A DARK ROOM, A BRISK WALK, LAPS IN A POOL, LISTEN TO MUSIC?

INDIVIDUALS

Activate the imagination.

IMAGINATION STRENGTHENS WITH USE - IT’S LIKE A MUSCLEIGNORE LIMITS OF RESOURCES, SCIENCE AND LOGIC

FORCE YOUR THINKING INTO THE UNKNOWN

INDIVIDUALS

Wish.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT LANGUAGE CAN TRIGGER DREAMSSAYING ‘I WISH’, HELPS FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DESIRE, VALUE AND HOPE IS POSSIBLE

WISHING MOBILISES PASSION

INDIVIDUALS

Get a fresh perspective.

WHAT WOULD SOMEONE FROM A MOTORCYCLE GANG SAY ABOUT YOUR DESIGN?HOW WOULD MY 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, EMMA, RESPOND?

WHAT ABOUT THE GUY AT FSH?

INDIVIDUALS

Shake up your routine.

CHANGE YOUR WORKSPACE, HABITS, ROUTE, SCHEDULEJOLT YOUR FAMILIAR FRAME OF REFERENCE AND YOUR MIND FROM IT USUAL HABITS

READ ONLY DESIGN BOOKS? BUY A NOVEL.

INDIVIDUALS

Find your woodshed.

EVERY ARTIST HAS A WOODSHED - FIND YOUR PLACE THAT STIMULATES OUR CREATIVE PROCESSSILENT ROOM FAR FROM THE FRAY? THICK IN THE HUMAN CIRCUS?

WHEN YOU FIND YOUR SHOWER - DON’T GET OUT.

INDIVIDUALS

Expect to be creative.

ATHLETES WHO APPROACH THE STARTING BLOCK IMAGINING A WIN ARE MORE LIKLEY TO SUCCEED THAN THOSE WHO DOUBT THEIR ABILITIES

INDIVIDUALS

Keep track of the process.

CREATIVITY IS INTANGIBLE WORKJOT DOWN INSPIRATIONS IN A UBIQUITOUS BLANK NOTEBOOK TO MAKE IT TANGIBLETALK ABOUT YOUR CHALLENGE, SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE WHO WILL BEAR WITNESS

Creative Managers

MANAGERS

Know your role.

IT’S NOT ABOUT MICROMANAGING CREATIVE PROCESSES AND PEOPLEIT’S NOT ABOUT COMMAND AND CONTROL

IT’S ABOUT DEFINING THE PROBLEM AND SETTING THE BOUNDARIES

MANAGERS

Be protective.

YOUR TEAM IS YOUR BABY. GUARD IT FIERCELY.PASSIONATELY DEFEND FREE, OPEN, OFF-THE-WALL INTERACTION

MAKE IT SAFE

MANAGERS

Use theatrical gestures.

A STARTLING / VIVID GESTURE CAN CLEAR AND TURBOCHARGE THE MINDA NEW LOCATION? EXPECTATION? METAPHOR? OR FRO-FRIDAY?

SEND YOUR TEAM TO GOLD REEF CITY. OR FORMULAE 1 RACING SCHOOL.

MANAGERS

Secure a hot zone.

ANY TEAM REQUIRE A PHYSICAL SPACE THATS BOTH SAFE AND STIMULATINGREHEARSAL VS CONCERT HALL? SMALL ROOM VS AIRY LOFT?

DON’T IMPOSE. INSTEAD LISTEN AND RESPOND.

MANAGERS

Create microcultures.

TEAMS NEED A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY AND UNITYLOGOS, TRADEMARKS, FLAGS CAN CREATE VIVID METAPHORS FOR THE CHALLENGE

EVENTS AND WELL-TIMED SYMBOLIC ACTS BOOST SPIRIT

MANAGERS

Master the art of conversation.

MANAGEMENT OCCURS THROUGH CONVERSATIONIT’S A TOOL TO SET BOUNDARIES, ASSIGN TASKS, MONITOR PROGRESS, STATE EXPECTATIONS,

ASK QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE INPUT

MANAGERS

Make time an ally.

SYNCRONISE SCHEDULES, TIMETABLES AND DEADLINESESPECIALLY AMONGST CREATIVE FOLKS WHO VIEW TIME VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM THE REST

MANAGERS

Set boundaries.

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE NEED EXTRAORDINARY BOUNDARIESCREATIVE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THERE ARE LIMITS TO FREEDOM

MANAGERS

Practice the art of sitting out.

SEEK CREATIVITY OUTSIDE THE CORPORATE WALLS

MANAGERS

Trumpet your creativity.

IT’S A POWERFUL COMPETITIVE EDGELET YOUR MARKETPLACE, ORGANISATION, FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES KNOW YOU’VE GOT IT

For all of us

ALL OF US

Define our creative credo.EXPERIMENTS MUST BE UNRESTRAINED

NOBLE FAILURE IS HONORABLECREATIVITY IS A PROCESS AND NOT AN EVENT

EVERYONE IS CREATIVEALL IDEAS ARE WELCOME

PREMATURE CLOSURE AND EXCESSIVE JUDGMENT ARE CARDINAL SINSLINK CREATIVITY TO STRATEGY

;-)

KEEPING IT LOOSEY GOOSEY BABE