Embracing Creativity or running a creative thinking session is not unlike running a theatrical performance – it needs both stage management and direction.People – the ‘cast’ of the drama If you have the luxury of choosing people to work with then this may present a dilemma. On the one hand, you want as much diversity as possible, because that is where new insights and connections will come from.
On the other hand, they must work well together, because creative work requires a high level of personal openness and risk taking, and a lot of interaction.
If possible you should:
- Choose people who have the skills to manage high levels of difference comfortably.
- Design sessions/meetings so that they are less sensitive to the adverse effects of large interpersonal differences.
- Facilitate the session in such a way that you ‘manage’ adverse effects as (or before) they emerge.
- Choose people who can tolerate wide levels of difference
- Choose people who are compatible temperamentally, but differ widely in their area of expertise
People are less likely to be ‘thrown’ by minor interpersonal clashes if they have a reasonably solid personality, a degree of self-awareness, and a good sense of humour. Avoid big status differences, unless it is very clear that there are excellent, pre-existing, levels of trust between the people involved.
Have fun! Laughter and a light touch can defuse many tensions and manage the expectations of participants so that they know this will be a somewhat ‘special’ event, with unusual people. Remember, it is usually easier for people to feel uninhibited and take risks with a group they will not see again.
Most, if not all of us have either a fixed way of doing things or a fixed way of thinking about things. These fixed patterns are known as mindsets and they can severely limit our actions in both business and private life.
Is it possible that the impulsiveness and quick-thinking that accompanies ADHD may also enhance creativity? Given that many people who are diagnosed with this condition, what role could medication have in the creative process? Does stimulant medication hamper creativity, or boost it?
When working with others it is useful to work with as wide a variety of individuals as possible. You may not value the knowledge held by these people but it is not their knowledge that we wish to tap into – it is their thinking.
As I wander around on a daily basis I find myself taking note of signs and posters and interpreting them in ways that the original author had never intended. For me it is a humorous exercise but try it on your own scribblings and see if your communications are up to scratch.
Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter said “a clear destination is necessary to guide the journey of change. Many change efforts falter because of confusion over exactly where everyone is expected to arrive.”
If someone knocks at your door and offers you ‘best practice’ you should say no. Best practice is at best a distillation of ‘what has been’ and has worked. It is based in the past and unless the system you are operating in is purely mechanical (e.g. you make nuts and bolts in bulk) then it is not guaranteed to work.
Did you think that this article would be about creative techniques and training courses? That would be too simple!