Unlock Your Creativity and Release Innovation

The move from the old economy to the new knowledge based economy places a premium on adding value through knowledge, skill and above all else, creativity.  We need to promote a culture of innovation where staff strive to increase productivity and reduce cost through providing innovative solutions and challenging old ways of thinking.  Peter Drucker said:  “The enterprise that does not innovate inevitable ages and declines.  And in a period of rapid change such as the present, an entrepreneurial period, the decline will be fast.”  Organizations today need people who can approach situations with creative ideas and innovative solutions.  We also need to think and see problems in new ways and different perspectives realizing that there may be more than merely one “right” answer.  This workshop demonstrates what innovation is and how it may be implemented by using creativity to generate ideas and solutions and how such thinking may be fostered and developed in the participants and their staff.  At the same time it will help equip participants with the ability to approach challenges and problems with techniques and tools for practical application in real life.

Course Outline

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

  • Know the difference between creativity and innovation
  • Recognise creative principles and techniques and how to apply them
  • Use various creative thinking techniques to assist in a more creative and innovative approach to problem solving and  ideas generation.
  • To appreciate how our perceptions act as filters for our thinking processes and behaviors – hence the need to reframe problems and situations
  • Create an innovative and creative workplace environment
  • Create a better climate to foster creativity in the workplace – changing attitudes
  • Create a better climate to foster creativity in the workplace – environment
  • Be equipped with a framework and set of tools and techniques for idea generation and problem solving

Course Content

Module Topics Covered Activity
Module 1 :
Recognising Creative Principles  
  1.1 : What is Creativity  
  • An ability
  • An attitude
  • A process    
Activity  
Creative Cola  
  1.2 : The Classical Creative Methods  
  • Evolution
  • Synthesis
  • Revolution
  • Reapplication
  • Changing direction    
 
    1.3 :  How The Mind Works –  Critical Thinking versus Creative Thinking
  • Properties of the Human Mind.
  • Split-brain Theory.
  • Power of the Brain.
  • Critical vs creative thinking.
  • Use and develop both sides of the brain  
Activities  
The Identical list, Confusing the Brain, Whole Brain Thinking  
  1.4 : Understanding the Differences Between Innovation and Creativity
  • Creativity Defined?
  • Innovation Explained?
  • Relationship and Gap between Creativity and Innovation.
  • Need for Innovation in the Present Economy and Bottom Line of your Department.
  • Characteristics of innovative people?  
 

Module 2 :Reframing the Mind –Understanding and Changing our Perceptions    

  • What are our Perceptions
  • Differences in Perception
  • The Danger of Assumptions
  • Reframing the Mind to See Differently
Activities  
Look across the Circle, Check your Assumptions, The Inference Test, etc
 Module 3 Create a Better Climate to Foster Creativity in the Workplace (Part 1 – Changing Attitudes)     3.1 : Myths about Creative Thinking and Problem Solving that People Have  
  • Every problem has only one solution
  • The best solution has already been found
  • Creative answers are technologically complex
  • Ideas either come or they don’t – Nothing will help
 
  3.2 : Recognise the Negative Attitudes that Block Creativity  
  • Oh no, a problem
  • It can’t be done
  • I can’t do it
  • But I’m not creative
  • That’s childish
  • What will people think
  • I might fail
  • Exercises
 
  3.3 : Recognise the Mental Blocks Creative Thinking and Problem Solving  
  • Prejudice
  • Functional fixation
  • Learned helplessness
  • Psychological blocks  
 
       
  3.4 : Develop Positive Attitudes for Creativity  
  • Curiosity Challenge Constructive discontent
  • A belief that most problems can be solved
  • The ability to suspend judgment and criticism
  • Seeing the good in the bad
  • Problems lead to improvements
  • A problem can also be a solution
  • Problems are interesting and emotionally acceptable
 
  3.5 : Characteristics of the Innovative Person  
  • Curious
  • Seeks out problems
  • Enjoys challenge
  • Optimistic
  • Able to suspend judgment
  • Comfortable with imagination
  • Challenges assumptions
  • Doesn’t give up – Works hard  
 
Module 4  Create a Better Climate to Foster Creativity in the Workplace (Part 2 – Environment and Culture) 4.1 : The Environment for Creative and Innovative thinking  
  • Creating the Right Environment
  • Personal Work Relationships
  • Behaviours to Encourage
  • Management Responses-Idea Killers or Idea Growers
  • The Encouraging Manager
  • Characteristics of a Creative Environment – How does Yours Compare?
  • Strategies for Creativity  
 
  4.2 : Avoid Work Conditions That Stifle Creativity  
  • Negative Attitude
  • Fear of Failure
  • Executive Stress
  • Following Rules
  • Assumptions
  • Over-Reliance on Logic
  • Believing You are not Creative  
 
  4.3 : Mentally and Physically Prepare for Creativity  
  • Attitude Adjustment
  • Risk-Taking Techniques
  • Stress Safety Valves
  • Breaking the Rules
  • Checking Assumptions
  • Your “Internal” Creative Climate
  • Creative Beliefs
 
  Module 5
Creative thinking techniques
5.1 : Ideas Generating Questions  
  • The Journalistic six
  • Historical examination  
5.2 : “Uses for”  
To use this technique think of an item or object and think of all the possible uses of that object without regard for what the object is normally used for.
 
  5.3 : “Improvements to”  
This is the counterpart to the above.  This technique focuses on altering an item to enhance its original, given purpose
 
  5.4 : “What –Iffing”  
This technique is a tool for releasing the mind from its normal constraints
 
Module 6
Using Creative Techniques to Generate Innovative Solutions – “Think out of the Box”    
6.1 : Brainstorming the Professional Way  
  • Suspend judgment
  • Think freely
  • Add on
  • Develop quantity
   
Practical methodology  
  • Choose a recorder
  • Organise the chaos
  • Keep the session relaxed and playful
  • Limit the session
  • Make copies
  • Evaluate  
  6.2 : Trigger Concepts  
A trigger concept (or idea or random seed) is an idea creating technique operated by bringing an unrelated idea into the problem and forcing connections or similarities between the two  
 
  6.3 : Thinking Out of the Box – Exercises  
  • Nine dots – nine answers
  • Twelve coins The man in the elevator
  • Push that car
  • The man who hanged himself
  • Family problems
  • The man in the bar
 
Module 7
Seek Out New and Innovative Ways to Solve Problems    
7.1 : Classical Standard Ways of Problem Solving
  • The Seven Step Model
  • Fishbone Diagram
  • Do it
  • Mind Mapping
  • Six Thinking Hats
  • Demonstrations and Exercises  
7.2 : Newer More Innovative Ways of Problem Solving
  • Scamper
  • Problem Reversal
  • Lotus Blossom
  • Demonstrations and Exercises
 
Module 8  
Implementation Planning    
  • Return to the Differences Between Innovation and Creativity
  • Creating the Climate for Innovation
  • How to become an Encouraging Manager
  • How to Develop Personal Work Relationships
  • Recognise your Personal Need for Creative Involvement  
 
Achieving Personal Change and Growth  
  • What have I Learnt About Myself
  • What do I need to Reinforce
  • What do I need to Develop
  • Preparing an Action Plan  
 
     
Review, Evaluation and Close        
Methodology   This programme will be highly exponential in nature with short presentations, group discussions and presentation, practical exercises, self-awareness questionnaires, sharing of real life personal  experiences and the opportunity for reflection