Managers, seeking an answer to a problem or the best way to exploit an opportunity, usually think ‘convergently’. By a process of analysis, they attempt to isolate that one good idea. The creative manager will have none of this. His approach is to think ‘divergently’ so that many ideas are generated. This opens up a whole new range of choice and investigation, offering many more solution options.
The belief that creativity in Industry and Commerce is the sole domain of new product designers and marketeers is completely unfounded. Every manager, of whatever discipline, has the opportunity, even the responsibility, to break out of the self-imposed, analytical ‘straitjacket’, to become more creative.
The Module requires full participation from the delegates to optimise learning and, for some, to achieve a complete change of mind set.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the Module, delegates will:
- Understand the nature of Creativity and Innovation.
- Be able to engage a whole new way of thinking to exploit their inherent creativity.
- Have learnt the ‘most ideas’ technique of Brainstorming and be able to apply it to actual organisational problems and opportunities.
Module Content
The Mind at Work – The way that we think; Analysing; Imagining; Valuing.
What is Creativity? – The difference between creative and analytical thinking; examples of innovative ‘break-throughs’ and how they occurred.
Barriers to Creative Thinking – What they are and how to overcome them.
Accessing Personal Creativity – Opening the mind; changing the way that we think; freewheeling; the power of daydreaming.
The Power of Incongruity and Humour – The rationale of the apparently unrelated; the creativity of humour.
The Technique of Brainstorming – Individual and team brainstorming.
Brainstorming Organisational Problems and Opportunities.