Brainstorming Methods

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Author:
Jean Dickson

You may think you don't need to be creative. But creativity can help you do a better job of what you do. Just look at the military. Who would think that stand-up-straight-and-stick-the-gut-in military needed to be creative? All they do is follow orders - or so we think. But the US military was one of the first modern organizations to realize that innovation could help them. They organized an elite team to investigate innovative giants as well as all creative problem solving methods and techniques. They then applied these creativity techniques to "NATO military, intelligence and political problems," getting inventive solutions to new as well as old dilemmas.

You may not think you need to do a better job of what you do. I can hear you thinking, "I'm sitting pretty - I don't need to change. And besides, creativity is okay for strategy types like the military, or marketing people or - anyone but me."

Right now you may be secure in your job. But will you be two years from now?

What if your job changes, or your market disappears? Change is happening at faster than lightening speed now. Will you have the resiliance to meet those challenges? Will your mind be flexible enough to tear the lid off that proverbial box and come up with new solutions to new problems?

Being innovative can be a smart move. Doing a better job of what you do makes you look better to your supervisors. And it also makes you feel more fulfilled and satisfied. Those are two very good reasons for cultivating creativity in your job.

But what exactly is creativity? According to Michael Michalko, one of the world's leading experts in the field, creative people are those who come up with more ideas in a shorter space of time. They had more good ideas. But they also had more BAD ideas. The key is generating ideas quickly. Out of this wealth of ideas will spring some that better solve your problem in new and exciting ways.

Let's look at this in another way - let's draw a picture of creativity. Imagine two people, Joe Average and Cathy Creative. They work in the same department of a large telecommunications firm. And they both have problems they need to find a solution for.

Joe Average holds his idea gun and slowly moves towards his problem. He carefully takes aim and holds his breath. Then he squeezes the trigger. He hits, slightly off target. But he breathes a deep sigh of relief because he hit what he was aiming at. And he puts his idea gun away.

Cathy Creative, on the other hand, has a idea machine gun. As soon as she sees the problem, she throws her machine gun in the direction of the target, presses the trigger, and sprays ideas all over the place. Some hit; some don't. Some are far off target - actually hitting the ceiling and the floor. But ten are close to dead centre.

More ideas and better ideas - that's something that can help any person in any job. After all, who doesn't have problems to solve? Everyone benefits from being creative. And, fortunately, being creative, or coming up with more ideas and better ideas, is something YOU can learn.

About the Author

Jean V. Dickson helps organizations learn how to come up with more (and better) solutions to their business challenges. She loves showing them that more and better doesn't take longer - that we just think it does. Using proven creativity techniques allows us to become more productive, better employees.

Learn how to become a better thinker and problem solver. Check out Jean's website, JVD Creativity Consulting, at http://www.jvdcreativity.com.

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Brainpower... Problem Solving Techniques For Business And Life Learning a few good problem solving techniques can improve your bottom line and your life. Do you ever run out of good ideas, or go around in circles trying to come up with a solution for a persistent problem? Maybe you just need to learn some simple problem solving techniques, and then start applying them. Choose one or two of the methods below, and get in the habit of using them in your personal life and your business. Using Your Unconscious Mind Let your unconscious mind do your problem solving. Outline a problem in your mind before going to sleep, and tell your brain to go to work. Einstein had good luck with this technique, sometimes getting the "ah-ha" insight while shaving the next morning. Next, instruct your mind to keep working on the problem while you do other things. There is more than we know going on inside our heads. An answer may come to you when you least expect it. Try working on problems when you are in a drowsy state. This can result in more creative solutions. Systematic Problem Solving Techniques Challenge assumptions . For example, if you are assuming you need a better or higher-paying job, ask "do I really need a better job?" Maybe you can get a raise, or somehow make the job you have better. A business on the side might be an option. Don't let your assumptions limit the possible solutions. Break it down . Buying a house is a big move that is really a bunch of small steps. This is true of many problems. Start by addressing all of the components of a problem individually, and it may not seem so overwhelming. This makes it easier to motivate yourself. Ask others for advice . They may or may not have good ideas, but in any case this helps you be sure that you are not overlooking anything...