Leading on the Creative Edge

By page 26 of Leading on the Creative Edge: Gaining Competitive Advantage Through the Power of Creative Problem Solving by Roger Firestien, I was confronted with 12 ways to nurture my creativity. I like lists like this. They give me an opportunity to evaluate myself.

"How many of these things am I already doing?"

"Which ones have I thought about trying in the past, but decided to wait on?"

"What new ideas have I never considered before and maybe need to ponder adopting?"

"How close does my list match the list of this 'expert'?"

So try it out for yourself. Here is Firestien's list:

1. Develop creative habits.
2. Ask questions.
3. Use passive ways to generate ideas.
4. Vary your routine.
5. Read and listen to a variety of material.
6. Network.
7. Develop personal support systems.
8. Stop the action.
9. Create an environment that encourages creativity.
10. Create a healthy lifestyle.
11. Reawaken your sense of humor.
12. Be passionate about your positive compelling future vision.

Chapters 3 through 7 review commonly presented creative problem solving principles, such as:

Phrase problems in a way they can be solved.
Don't solve the wrong problem.
Defer judgment while generating many ideas.
Evaluate ideas in a positive manner.

While the principles may be familiar, any new twist provided by a fresh way of looking at something is worth investigating. I find it improves my own application of the principle to solving problems or taking advantage of opportunities.

Chapter eight of Leading on the Creative Edge: Gaining Competitive Advantage Through the Power of Creative Problem Solving explains the PPC technique. The Pluses, Potential, and Concerns (PPC) technique helps groups make affirmative judgments of possible solutions, rather than negative judgments.

This technique could be worth many times the price of the book if it leads you to a better organizational culture in positive problem solving experiences.

Firestien concludes with an invitation to become creative. He has a free newsletter you can subscribe to with the latest ideas and research in the field of creativity and innovation.

My favorite quote:
"The way to succeed is to double your failure rate."
Thomas Watson, Jr., former President of IBM