Keith Harmeyer

The Power of Divergent and Convergent Thinking – Guide Your Group’s Thinking Process to New Heights

Posted by Keith Harmeyer Innovation Management No Responses »

Dec 152011

One of the simplest, most valuable skills a brainstorm facilitator can develop is the ability to “read the direction” in which their group’s thoughts are flowing. Just like the ebbing and flowing tides of an ocean or river, collaborative thinking flows in one of two distinct directions: 1) it can diverge outward, in a broad, multidirectional, expansive exploration of ideas; or 2) it can converge inward, narrowing focus in an effort to judge, select and eliminate ideas.

Divergent and Convergent Thinking
Divergent thinking opens the imagination to all possibilities, while convergent thinking analyzes and chooses from among those possibilities. In a sense, divergent and convergent thinking are the Yin and Yang of creative problem solving. Neither is superior to the other – simply more appropriate for the task at hand. And both processes are essential to the ultimate success of any group idea generation session. So it’s important to understand their relative benefits, to identify when and under what circumstances each type of thinking is taking place, and to learn how to guide the group back to the most appropriate and effective method of thinking.

The Benefits of Divergent Thinking
Divergent thinking allows a group to generate as many fresh, new ideas as possible in a short timeframe. During this process all judgment is suspended, the group is encouraged to go for quantity of ideas, not quality, spontaneously build on one another’s ideas, and push the boundaries of the imagination…even wild, crazy, audacious ideas are welcome. In fact, the motto for divergent thinking is, “Everything is possible!” All ideas are equally embraced and recorded. In divergent thinking there really is no such thing as a bad idea. The goal is to simply achieve the largest creative yield of ideas and new connections possible. Look at divergent thinking as “big picture,” unencumbered by any practical or logistical constrains, limitations, or judgments.

The Benefits of Convergent Thinking
If divergent thinking is casting the widest net possible to capture new ideas, then convergent thinking can be thought of as harvesting of the very best of catch. Just as a funnel decreases the scope of a substance, so that it fits through a narrow opening, convergent thinking narrows down a large number of ideas through the process of analyzing, judging, eliminating and selecting. Convergent thinking is ideally suited for thoroughly evaluating the merits of an idea, or seeing how well it holds up to scrutiny based on pre-established criteria. We use convergent thinking to gain clarity, consider practical constraints, draw conclusions, determine the bottom-line, and select the best ideas.

When Thinking Processes Collide
As we mentioned earlier, each of the two thinking processes has an essential role to play in an effective brainstorm. However, if they take place simultaneously, or at the inappropriate time, they will quickly become an obstacle to success. Like matter and antimatter, one will neutralize the benefits of the other and create potentially “explosive” situations.

For example, imagine your group is in the middle of a spirited “blue sky” exploration of new, inventive ways to promote your product or service in light of new competition (divergent thinking). Suddenly a participant begins to judge or shoot down fledgling ideas they feel aren’t worthy of consideration (convergent thinking). What happens? The spontaneous outflow of idea sharing comes to a grinding halt. People clam up, become defensive and withhold their thoughts in fear of being judged or ridiculed. It takes a vigilant and skilled facilitator to spot convergent thinking when it seeps into the divergent ideation process. To get the session back on track, the facilitator must quickly stop the judgment and shift the group back in the direction of productive, divergent thinking.

Conversely if your group is in the selection process of narrowing down an abundance of ideas, convergent thinking is just the method you need. By assessing and judging ideas according to an established list of objective criteria, you can quickly separate the wheat from the chaff. However, if divergent thinking enters your evaluation process, your group will start free-associating ways to save an impractical idea… or worse, spontaneously begin a whole new round of unnecessary idea-generation. When this occurs, the objective selection process gets hijacked; sessions run overtime, and usually end without closure.

The Best of Both Worlds
An awareness and understanding of both these types of collaborative thinking can have a profound impact on the ultimate effectiveness of your idea generation sessions. Learn to identify them quickly. Develop skills for guiding or redirecting your group’s attention in the most productive direction. Then watch, not just as the ideas flow – but as the very best rise to the top.

About the Authors:
SmartStorming (R) partners, Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer have a combined 45 years experience working with Fortune 500 companies as creative leaders in the advertising and strategic marketing communications fields. SmartStorming methodologies are the result of their personal experience and expertise, as well as extensive research and practical application in the areas of innovation, peak creative performance, group dynamics and interpersonal communication.SmartStorming helps organizations solve tough business challenges in new, more innovative ways than they ever imagined possible – with the expertise, structure, and proven tools organizations need to think more creatively, change behaviors and generate the kinds of ground-breaking ideas that drive innovation. To learn more about SmartStorming, visit their blog at http://SmartStorming-blog.com or their company site at http://www.SmartStorming.com.

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Brainstorming Techniques: We Like Them, We Just Don’t Know Them

Posted by Keith Harmeyer Business Ideas, Innovation Management No Responses »

Dec 012011

Group brainstorming, as we know it today, has been around since the 1930s. For the most part, it hasn’t changed all that much in the past seventy-plus years, except in one respect: the development of new ideation techniques.

Ideation techniques are, quite simply, novel thought-provoking exercises designed to help groups tackle challenges in ways they might not otherwise consider. Some make it easier for groups to view issues from fresh perspectives; others provide engaging processes to help stimulate imagination, overcome shyness, facilitate collaboration, and much more.

In short, ideation techniques make it possible for groups to generate a greater breadth and depth of ideas (i.e., more, better ideas).

Anyone who takes even a few moments to Google “ideation techniques” will learn that there are dozens, perhaps hundreds, around. Some are well-known and extensively documented; others are less-so.

We recently conducted a survey to find out just where people stand on ideation techniques-which ones they know, which ones they use in brainstorms, and what they think about them. The results are interesting, if not completely surprising.

When asked whether they believe knowing and using different ideation techniques is beneficial to brainstorming, the answer was a resounding “Yes!”

However, when provided a list of well-known ideation techniques, only one had relatively broad awareness-Mind Mapping-followed by Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats and the widely-used S.W.O.T. Analysis. All others listed had less than 7% awareness.

And when asked what other techniques (not listed in the survey) they used, more than 54% of listed no additional techniques at all; and fewer than 10% listed more than two.

It is important to note that this survey was conducted among an audience that is probably more tuned-in to advanced brainstorming and ideation techniques than the average businessperson. And yet, it is clear that even among this group, very few know, understand and use a range of ideation techniques.

Again, this result isn’t entirely surprising. In our own ongoing research, we find that fewer than 10% of individuals in any industry (even creativity-focused businesses like advertising and design) have had any training whatsoever in brainstorming and group ideation. Those that have typically know one or two ideation techniques, but nothing about brainstorming session structure or facilitation skills.

And so it would appear that while we understand and acknowledge the value of having a library of ideation techniques at our disposal, few of us make the effort to identify and learn those techniques.

In this era of the “innovation economy,” it is bewildering that individuals and organizations still don’t recognize the importance of idea generation. Business success today requires continuous reevaluation and reinvention of one’s business offering. Once organizations could thrive for decades on a single great idea; today they need a great idea every year, and in some cases every month or week.

Only by taking the personal initiative to educate oneself in a variety of ideation techniques-and to offer training throughout one’s organization in effective brainstorm leadership and facilitation-can anyone hope to survive and thrive in today’s competitive business environment.

Innovation begins with ideas. No ideas, no innovation.

How many great ideas did you and your team come up with today?

About the Authors:
SmartStorming (R) partners, Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer help organizations solve tough business challenges in new, more innovative ways than they ever imagined possible – with advanced brainstorm leadership training, creative brainstorming techniques, and a variety of proven tools organizations need to think more creatively, change behaviors and generate the kinds of ground-breaking ideas that drive innovation. To learn more about SmartStorming, visit their blog at SmartStorming-blog.com.

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Creativity and Future of Business: It’s No Surprise CEOs Rank Creativity As Top Leadership Quality

Posted by Keith Harmeyer Leading Innovation 1 Response »

Nov 172011

In a recent, much-referenced study conducted by IBM Global Business Services, a group of over 1,500 CEOs in 60 nations and 33 industries agreed that “creativity” is now the most important leadership quality for success in business.

Not “global focus,” not “integrity,” not even much heralded “sustainability.” But “creativity.”

Steven Tomasco, of IBM Global Business Services, found the result surprising, considering that we have just come out of (hopefully) an historic economic downturn the likes of which most of these CEOs have never experienced in their professional lives.

In terms of actual percentages, 60% of those surveyed ranked “creativity” in the #1 spot. Second was “integrity.” (With all due respect to Steven Tomasco,we would suggest this is the more surprising result in this era of “the end justifies the means” corporate management.)

In fact, for those fortunate enough to have had access to the crystal ball of business success over the past several years, in our new “innovation economy,” that “creativity” holds the #1 spot is hardly surprising. In fact, it is expected.

If there is a secret of business success today, it is the willingness and ability to continually reinvent one’s value proposition, deliver ever-increasing value to customers and recognize that the consumer calls the shots-every shot.

Consider that 88% of CEOs surveyed also ranked “getting closer to the customer” as the #1 area of focus, followed closely by “people skills” (81%) and “insights and intelligence” (76%).

Creativity, people skills, insights/intelligence… it all boils down to a consumer-driven success model.

The dominant businesses in today’s marketplace understand this. They work diligently to stay one step ahead of the consumer’s need. It’s no longer about the ability to respond-it’s about the need to anticipate. Give your customers what they want-before they even know they want it-and you will rise to the top of the competitive corporate food chain. Fail to do so, even for a moment, and prepare to fall, rapidly.

So what does creativity have to do with all of this? Why is it necessary to “think outside the box” in order to meet consumer demand?

Because your customers don’t have a clue what they will want tomorrow-even though they want it now. And they are not going to tell you; that’s too much work. They want you to tell them; and when they see it, they’ll know it. Tell them what they want, and if you are correct, you win the brass ring. And if you don’t, someone else most certainly will.

There’s a bit of alchemy involved in this, the ability to ask, “What if?”

“What if my customers had ? How would it make their lives better, easier, more productive?”

This business model is not for the faint of heart. It is not built upon market data (backwards focused), proven successes (backwards focused) or established business practices (backwards focused). It is built upon vision…and the ability to manifest it.

Apple understands. So does Google. Microsoft did once. So did AOL and iomega and countless others who have tripped, stumbled and gone plummeting off the front pages of the business press. Business success means redefining oneself daily. These surveyed corporate leaders know this, even if they are not presently doing it. Those who will ultimately act upon it will be around to respond to the next IBM survey. Those who don’t???

What if? That is the pressing question. Can you provide the answer?

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What’s Your Brainstorming Style?

Posted by Keith Harmeyer Innovation Management 1 Response »

Nov 032011

Every day, in conference rooms around the world, tens of thousands of brainstorms take place. Workgroups come together (often with trepidation) to generate fresh ideas, solve problems, explore opportunities and identify new ways to achieve success. In fact, in a world where advancing technology allows more and more tasks to be accomplished by fewer and fewer people, the brainstorm is one of the few remaining collaborative business processes.

Some question the effectiveness of brainstorming, and for good reason. Most sessions aren’t planned or facilitated very well, and all-too-often deliver disappointing results in terms of the breadth and depth of ideas actually generated, as well as a less-than-pleasant experience for participants.

However numerous studies show that when brainstorms are conducted well, the opposite is the case – the process is consistently productive and gratifying. So apparently the problem isn’t brainstorming, it’s brainstorming as typically practiced.

So just what does the typical brainstorm look like? Here are several of the most common types of brainstorming experiences, each of which is a reflection of the personal style of the individual leading the session, the participating group and the prevailing business culture in which the brainstorm takes place.

Pressure Cooker
Don’t you realize that generating ideas is serious business? The Pressure Cooker brainstorm is intense, overly focused and not the least bit fun. In fact, just a few moments of spontaneous laughter or lightness is frowned upon, and the offenders are reprimanded for “not taking the task seriously.” The team has work to do; this is no time for play! Of course, the most effective brainstorms always contain a degree of lightness and joyful exploration and wonder. They are a creative process, after all. An overly serious environment reduces spontaneity and can literally inhibit or even shut down creative thinking. Try approaching even the most serious challenges with a sense of childlike curiosity. Think of brainstorms as “play with purpose.”

Margaritaville
The antithesis of the Pressure Cooker, in these excessively laid back, “no worries” brainstorms, everyone wastes away…their time, that is. No structure, no clear goals or objectives, no leadership skills, all contribute to an enjoyable, but otherwise worthless experience. The conversations veer repeatedly off topic, the fun and lightness referred to earlier escalate to the level of silliness, and little, if anything, gets accomplished. Many people fall into the Margaritaville trap because they believe that brainstorms, as a creative activity, should be loose and unstructured. But nothing could be further from the truth. It is a well-known fact among creative professionals that creativity without structure leads to chaos. The most effective brainstorms always provide an organized process to help keep people’s creative thinking focused and productive.

Friday the 13th
These high-stakes brainstorms inspire fear in even the most courageous of participants. There is danger lurking at every turn, and you never know who’s going to get their heads chopped off next-simply for sharing an idea that the resident “Idea Assassin” feels is unworthy of consideration. And not only are potentially great ideas systematically killed off…so is everyone’s enthusiasm and willingness to participate. These brainstorms typically start off uncomfortable and end up in utter discouragement. In contrast, high-powered brainstorming sessions are always “judgment-free zones,” where everyone feels safe to share even their most off-the-wall ideas.

Déjà Vu
Been there, done that. These brainstorming sessions feel eerily the same-as the last one, and the one before that and the one before that. Same people, same group dynamics, same areas of exploration, and worst of all, same tired, old ideas. When you remain in safe, familiar, territory and never venture out from the status quo, how can you NOT generate the same results? And when you have no fresh, new thinking, there is no innovation. Successful teams regularly inject their brainstorms with a healthy dose of diversity in personalities, background and points of view, plus new types of ideation techniques to engage minds in new and different ways.

Wrestlemania
Let’s get ready to rumble! This brainstorm style is a true battle royale, where two or more participants duke it out to decide whose ideas are best. Funny thing is, it’s always their own ideas they’re fighting for. Most of the time one or two strong, imposing personalities totally dominate these sessions, leaving very little room for others to share. The conflict rages on throughout the brainstorm, and when the dust settles, everyone is emotionally bruised, battered and exhausted. In contrast, great brainstorms feel effortless. Teams quickly get into “the zone” and stay there. Time flies, and so do the game-changing ideas!

Of course, these are just a few examples. There are as many different styles of brainstorms as there are brainstorm leaders and participants. It is human nature to superimpose our own personalities, interests, beliefs, insecurities, preferences, etc. onto whatever we create, and brainstorms are no exception.

By all means, make your brainstorms your own. Research, learn and make use of your favorite ideation techniques. Try different icebreaker activities to get your group aligned and collaborating quickly. Just make sure that whatever you do, you always foster an environment where participants feel safe in sharing, where they can embrace and enjoy their creative spirits, and where the seeds of innovation can take root and grow.

About the Authors:
SmartStorming helps organizations solve tough business challenges in new, more innovative ways – with advanced brainstorm leadership training, problem solving techniques, brainstorming activities, and a variety of proven skill organizations need to innovation. Learn more at http://www.SmartStorming.com.

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Do You Have What it Takes to Innovate?

Posted by Keith Harmeyer Innovation Inspiration No Responses »

Oct 202011

Innovation has become the benchmark of success, particularly in the current business environment. Companies in every industry are stepping up their efforts to become more innovative in the way they work, communicate and produce the goods and services they sell. But with such an objective, the obvious challenge becomes, how to identify the individuals within an organization who possess the greatest potential to innovate.

While everyone has the innate ability to engage in creative thinking, there are seven common traits that innovative leaders like da Vinci, Edison, Henry Ford and Steve Jobs share; seven traits that propel them to think outside the confines of conventional wisdom and imagine breakthrough concepts that change the way you and I live and experience the world.

The seven traits of highly innovate thinkers are:

Curiosity – Curiosity is the first step toward discovery. It is the “beginner’s mind,” a deep, child-like sense of wonder about the world, the relationship between different things and how things work.
Imagination – Before you can develop a new idea, you must first be able to conceive it, to envision the very possibility that it could exist. Innovation is fueled by leaps of the imagination, making novel new connections between seemingly disparate ideas, concepts or objects.
Intuition – Making decisions based on facts and figures is fine in many instances. But true innovation is more often born from that internal “knowing,” the guiding force, sixth sense or gut feeling to follow one’s instincts, no matter how unconventional or illogical the direction.
Inventiveness – The ability to change the status quo requires an inquisitive passion for “tinkering.” Innovators possess the desire to arrange and re-arrange ideas or things in new and different combinations.
Playfulness – It is when you get “lost in your work” that amazing things begin to happen. Time, self-consciousness, seriousness and any sense of limitation falls away, and challenges are handled with ease. The attitude of playfulness is, “Everything is possible.”
Flexibility – The capacity to suspend judgment and embrace two (or more) seemingly contradictory or unrelated viewpoints at the same time helps create a dynamic tension that ultimately stimulates creative resolutions (solutions).
Persistence – All the creative talent in the world is of no value if you give up before the work is done. Persistence, the passion, willpower and enthusiasm to overcome setbacks and discouragement, allows innovative thinkers to keep trying new possibilities until success is achieved.

Of course, there is no secret recipe for innovation. It requires an ongoing commitment on the part of an organization and the individuals within to relentlessly pursue new, better ways of doing business, and to never accept anything less than the best possible outcome. But these seven key traits are an excellent starting point for building your innovation foundation.

Start to recognize the individuals around you who naturally possess these traits, and encourage them to make frequent use of them. And nurture these traits in others who aren’t as naturally inclined. Acknowledge and reward creative thinking, responsible risk-taking and questioning the status quo. And in no time you will have fostered a thriving culture of innovation which can lead to only one thing: greater success.

About the Authors:
Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer have a combined 40+ years experience working in the strategic marketing communications field. SmartStorming: Advanced Training in Innovative Thinking is the result of their personal experience and expertise, as well as extensive research and practical application. To learn more about SmartStorming, visit their blog at http://SmartStorming-blog.com or their company site at http://www.SmartStorming.com.

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Brainstorm Better With These 7 Valuable Tips

Posted by Keith Harmeyer Innovation Management, Leading Innovation No Responses »

Oct 062011

What is really at the heart of business success? Ideas. Without new ideas, companies can achieve no more than the status quo. Ideas lead to better products, more effective marketing and sales, efficient operations and communications; you name it. Without ideas, organizations have nothing.

The most widely used tool for generating and developing new ideas in organizations is group brainstorming. Literally hundreds of thousands of brainstorm sessions take place in offices and conference rooms across the globe, every single day.

In our innovation work, we have the opportunity to question business people about the effectiveness of their brainstorming efforts. And it is rare that we don’t hear a negative response. “Boring.” “Intimidating.” “A big waste of time.” “The same old ideas over and over again.” “Nothing ever happens with the concepts we do come up with.” These are all comments we hear repeatedly, from individuals at every level of an organization, and from every business category.

In fact, brainstorming as traditionally practiced is a sloppy, haphazard process. Remarkably, this single activity, which is so vitally important to business success, is allowed to take place in a manner that is completely lacking in structure, facilitated by individuals with little or no training and who have no idea what tools or techniques might make their efforts more productive. One can only imagine the cost of ineffective brainstorming to business, in wasted manpower, lost opportunity and damaged employee morale.

The topic of brainstorming is a big and important one. But here are seven things you can start doing today to make your sessions dramatically more effective.

1. Make a Plan, Stan
It is sometimes said that professionals plan, amateurs wing it. Before your brainstorm ever begins, take the time to plan your session. What is the challenge you will present to the group? What is your objective for the session? Ten new ideas? One hundred? What idea generation techniques will you use to inspire your group’s imagination and make new connections? When you create a vision and a plan for the session, you increase the odds you will actually realize it.

2. Invite Diversity
Tired of getting the same old ideas in every brainstorm session? Maybe you should consider not inviting the same usual suspects. By including individuals with refreshingly different backgrounds, perspectives, ages, genders, ethnicities, etc., you will be creating a group mind with a wealth of divers experience to draw on. Consider who in your organization might make an unexpected contribution to your idea pool, and make sure they’re there.

3. Kick Out The Boss
I once knew the president of a company who would insist on attending every brainstorm session, and then start it off by saying, “You know how they say there are no bad ideas? That’s wrong. There are very bad ideas that should never be expressed. So, anybody got anything?” Nothing will more effectively shut down a brainstorm session than the fear of saying something stupid in front of the boss. It’s sometimes easier said than done, but unless your company leadership is extremely supportive and accepting, they shouldn’t be in a brainstorming session. Idea generation requires a safe environment, where people aren’t afraid to share their thoughts. Ensure the boss you’ll review everything with her after the session is over.

4. Play By The Rules
Of course it’s not just the boss who can derail and brainstorm. Anyone with a big ego, loud voice or attention-seeking personality can do the same. Negativity and judgment bring instant death to spontaneous idea sharing faster than negativity and judgment. Make a list of guidelines or rules for your session as soon as you begin. Ask for everyone’s agreement. No negative comments. One person talks at a time. Crazy, even audacious ideas are encouraged. If anyone breaks the rules, ask others in the group to good-naturedly remind him-perhaps by pelting him with crumpled paper balls!

5. Hold The Phone
“Phone” here, of course, means any device that will distract one’s attention from the task at hand. The remarkable convenience and productivity provided by PDAs is nothing short of miraculous. They also make brainstorming sessions come to a grinding halt. One of your most important rules is, “All phones, smartphones, iPhones, Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, whatever OFF during the session-and put out of sight, out of temptation’s reach!” Reassure attendees that you will provide breaks during which they can check messages or email.

6. Ask Lots of Questions
Not getting what you want from your brainstorming group? Maybe you’re not asking the right questions. You can immediately change the consciousness and output of any group by simply posing a provocative question? “What if we combined the last two ideas?” “That was a wild idea. How can we rein it in to make it more on strategy?” “What are three more ideas like that one?” Learn and apply the art of powerful questioning and you will get an exponentially greater return on your ideation investment.

7. Maintain Momentum
Most brainstorming sessions tend to start out slow and low energy. People are feeling their way into the process. After awhile, the energy sometimes picks up for a few minutes. Ideas come from everywhere. Then it stops. They’ve run out of steam. They start talking about last night’s episode of Mad Men. You’re lost. A great facilitator is like an accomplished surfer-they can “sense” the crest of the wave, where it is now and where it’s going, and ride it all the way to the end. Be tuned into the energy of the room, when it’s high, let it rip. At the first sign of dropping energy, ask a provocative question that takes the group in a new, interesting direction and gets everything going again. Brainstorming facilitation is work-fun work, but work nonetheless. Stay focused, ride the wave and you’ll walk out with a stack full of great ideas.

Great brainstorming and creative idea-generation is multi-faceted process that requires structure, trained facilitation and a full toolkit of proven techniques. There’s a lot to learn. But you can start your ongoing education with these seven key improvements, and start seeing better results right away.

How’s that for a great idea?

About the Authors:
Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer, have a combined 40+ years experience working in the strategic marketing communications field. SmartStorming is the result of their personal experience and expertise, as well as extensive research and practical application in the areas of innovation, peak creative performance, group dynamics and interpersonal communication.SmartStorming helps companies that are struggling to become more innovative and competitive. Through training programs, consulting, coaching and expert facilitation, SmartStorming helps dramatically increase the output of fresh, new ideas by teaching organizations how to take their group brainstorming and creative idea generation to an entirely new level of effectiveness. To learn more about SmartStorming, visit their blog at http://SmartStorming-blog.com or their company site at http://www.SmartStorming.com.

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Can Creativity Be Taught? Maybe You’re Asking the Wrong Question

Posted by Keith Harmeyer Innovation Management No Responses »

Sep 222011

Virtually every business today, no matter where they are or what they do, is faced with a similar challenge: do whatever it is you do better than you did it before. Innovation is the number one business buzzword, and it is no longer the domain of only the Apples and Targets of the world. Innovation is the single most critical factor in business success, due to a combination of an expanding global marketplace, technology that advances at a breakneck pace and increasingly demanding consumers.

The global economic slump only makes this need for innovation more critical, as companies are forced to do more with fewer resources, attempting to survive the string of unforeseen challenges they are facing, while preparing to take advantage of new opportunities when they eventually surface.

One of the most significant revelations companies will experience on their road to organizational transformation is that realization that while innovation is indeed the driving force in business today- behind the scenes, it’s creativity that drives it.

Once this epiphany has occurred it inevitably leads organizations to ask the simple yet paradoxical question, “Can creativity be taught?”

These two terms, “creativity” and “innovation” are often used interchangeably. However it is important to make a distinction if we are to answer these critical questions. While the various definitions of these two words could fill a volume in themselves, for our purposes we will say that creativity means simply “generating new ideas and concepts, or making connections between ideas where none previously existed.” Innovation is a more involved process, meaning “when a creative idea is transformed into a new way of doing something.” Innovation represents an incremental, evolutionary, or revolutionary change in thinking, products, services or process that generally delivers increased value.

So is it possible for ordinary individuals and teams throughout their organization to be taught how to think creatively? Can they learn how to think outside the proverbial box to solve challenges in new and unexpected ways never before imagined? Is there a “secret formula” for creative genius that can be copied, disseminated throughout the organization, and successfully applied by novices with untested creative prowess?

This question about whether or not creativity can be taught often leads to polarizing discussions. According to a recent on-line survey we conducted, 47% of respondents believed creativity can indeed be taught, 29% thought it is “somewhat” possible for people to improve their creative abilities, and 24% felt you’ve either got it, or you don’t.

Strong and diverse points of view were expressed with comments such as… “Everyone has inherent creativity, but it is often destroyed or suppressed by the education process;” “Not everyone is going to be a Picasso, Shakespeare, Vidal Sassoon or Andrew Lloyd Webber;” and “No it cannot be taught. It must be unleashed.”

When we distill the four most commonly expressed viewpoints on the subject, they are:

All People are innately creative; so it’s not about teaching creativity, but rather finding ways to help unleash, unlock or inspire it.
All people are creative, but in different ways. You can only help them improve in the areas in which they’re naturally creative.
Some people are naturally creative; others are not. But you can teach people how to be more creative.
Only some people are creative, and you can’t teach it. You either have it, or you don’t.

The lack of consensus on the subject is most likely attributed to the fact that even in the modern business world, creativity (and the creative process itself) is still shrouded in the myth, mystique, misunderstanding and media hype. It doesn’t make it any easier that creativity is considered a purely subjective process- a process not easily qualified or quantified by standardized metrics. For all of its allure, creativity is still perceived by most as something magical or mysterious, a special innate talent possessed by a lucky few, blessed with the right DNA. Creativity must be a “gift from the gods.”

A Better Question To Ask
Fortunately for those companies with a strong desire and commitment to develop an innovation-driven culture, there is a more productive (and less polarizing) question they can ask to gain clarity on the subject: “Can our people be taught to think more creatively?”

Consider the difference between “Can creativity be taught?” and “Can our people be taught to think more creatively?”

The beauty of re-framing the original question in this new way is that it allows greater discernment in the distinction between the words creativity (generally thought of as the innate talent or ability to create or perform original works) and creative thinking (the ability to make new connections between ideas or concepts). Perhaps not everyone possesses the natural ability to create or perform a work of art; but surely anyone can make new mental connections if they learn effective techniques and process for doing so.

So no matter how conventional a person’s imagination or creative sensibilities might appear, it stands to reason that in a non-judgmental, supportive environment, with the right structure, training, and proven tools and techniques to engage the mind in new and different ways, a person can be taught to solve challenges by making creative connections they haven’t imagined previously.

Every milestone in innovation begins as a new insight or creative connection in the mind. But businesses don’t need Picassos; they need more creative thinkers. And millions of them are just waiting to be shown the way.

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