2010 Creativity World Forum
Working to transform our world through creative initiatives which lead to a more entrepreneurial and vibrant economy along with a better quality of life for its citizens.
Conference Notes Nov. 2010 Sher Sester
Links
http://stateofcreativity.com/newsroom/
Oklahoma State of Creativity newsroom
Read about the Oklahoma State of
Creativity
http://stateofcreativity.com/initiatives/
Read about the Initiatives Oklahoma is
taking to improve business in the state
https://twitter.com/creativeok
reviews of current technology
several provocative, bestselling books
about the changing world of work, a
more effective path to high performance
http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/
Mixergy Interview: Why should business
people care about creativity?
http://www.cpbn.org/program/wherewe-
live/episode/wwl-imaginationconversation
Imagination, the ability to visualize
new possibilities,
http://lciweb.lincolncenter.org/imaginationconversation/
imagination conversations Lincoln
center
http://www.appliedimagination.org/
International center for creativity and
imagination
http://www.appliedimagination.org/
conversation/
Connecticut Imagination Conversation
Creativity is fueling the 21st Century.
Three global leaders looked
at the creative innovation that is driving both business and individual
growth.Think about the companies that have done well in this economic downturn, what made the difference? A creative approach to business, making the brand human, connecting with the public in a fun or personal manner. Think about the “Cult” of Apple followers. Apple,
Macs, iPhone owners are fans, not just owners. They will talk about
the positive qualities at the drop of a hat, it’s personal. Don’t you wish
your business generated that kind of response. They are a creativity
driven product that is personally embraced by many! Think about
what they did differently. How they got there. Think about Google,
iMovie, Twitter, YouTube. Their creative approaches generated a
great, old fashioned, positive bottom line.
Creative ideas come from bringing different disciplines together
in a nurturing atmosphere where everyone is encourage to suggest
ideas,even risky ideas. They are permitted to fail in order to find the
BEST answer, not just the socially acceptable, tried and true answer.
The “Proven” path will get you the same results that produced what
you are you are trying to improve. Listen to people who work in a
different field, have a different point of view, don’t always see things
your way to get ideas that you might not think of yourself. Often the
first “Best idea” leads to even better idea if you say that sounds good
“Yes, and so… what else might work?”
Think about the Science of Motivation. The classic motivator is the
carrot and the stick – if you do this then you will get that. That doesn’t
always work, no one size fits all. People want to make a contribution
to something good, worthwhile, they want their work to be worth
something.
The roundtable discussion with Pogue, Robinson and Pink was
preceded with presentations by each, in which they look at creativity’s
relationship with the worlds of technology, business and education.
No government ministry invented rock and roll,” Robinson said. “That
happened because it was in the culture and the culture shifted. That’s
what’s happening today. The culture is shifting and I think everyone
should ride the wave.”
In his talk, Pogue said that the world is in need of more whimsy and
fun, which fosters innovation. And on the flip side of that, technology
has allowed people to become more innovative.
Pink analyzed the roots of motivation and encouraged people to
give themselves time in their businesses and organizations to work
on “non-commissioned” projects, when creativity would flow freely.
Commissioned work is the work you have to turn in each day, the
must do’s. Non-commissioned work is the project or idea that you
thought up yourself and think would make a difference, something
you are intrigued or passionate about if you could just find the time to
work on it and get someone to look at it with an open
mind it would be a great contribution. “In your work,
you are most creative when you have autonomy over
your team, technique, time and tasks.”
Robinson focused on the state of creativity and how
it has impacted education, saying “many of our institutions
don’t understand the process of creativity” but
that this a “revolutionary time of change” and new
ideas must be studied and embraced.
Ideas to spark “Imagination Conversations.”
Imagination, the ability to visualize new possibilities
and new paths to solutions.
Imagination
Conversations are conversations between two or more
people to investigate, research, imagine, brainstorm.
A key cognitive capacity to engage policy makers,
business leaders and thinkers across professions in
a series of dynamic discussions about the role of
imagination to create action plans for solutions to the
challenges of competing in this economic downturn
era. These conversations include diverse groups all
looking at the problems from different perspectives,
in-house business groups, private gatherings, or large
public forums coming together for a safe, nurturing,
discussion of ideas, visions and various solutions to
arrive at a strategic plan for accomplishing the goals
of the group or agency. This session was conducted
by Scott Noppe-Brandon, Executive Director. Lincoln
Center Institute, Eric Liu, Author, Civic Entrepreneur
and Martha McKenna, Provost and Academic VP of
Lesley University.
David Pogue and Daniel Pink said “All love affairs
begin with a single conversation” Wouldn’t you love
to change the world or improve conditions for humanity?
Imagination conversations should take place on a
daily basis as part of all business planning session.
Consider having what some companies call FED-EX
Days( Fed Ex Delivers, When it absolutely, positively
needs to get there, Must Deliver) The workers get a space
of time each week to work on a project they thought of,
or wanted to work on that must be delivered at a weekly
meeting where new ideas are presented and discussed.
Some ideas live on and some will die.
Some companies have 20% time – 20% of your day
or 20% of your week to devote to a project for the
company that you are passionate about.
Provide space to meet, work on or develop with a
team, your special projects. A space where you are free
to discuss, brainstorm, or propose ideas that are off the
wall but Might Work Or Fail with no repercussions or
they might succeed and be a boon for the company.
“Can I do one thing tomorrow that will make
things better? YES!”
Change doesn’t happen from a mapped out initiative,
but from a conversation that ignites a fire of passion
in people to find a way to make the change possible
within the constraints of the situation.
We no longer live in the Industrial Era when business
models were developed for assembly line processes.
Our jobs are no longer about; be in you spot
and always put part A next to part B and repeat to
develop the product. Stick and carrot thinking.
Now counter intuitive thinking produces new answers
and solutions to the questions facing businesses. Instead
of looking at the Big Picture and thinking I can’t
change all of that, think what can I do today to make
one thing better. Everyone can impact the process.
Look at what the 4 people who held your job before
you did and do something different and the company
will progress. Creativity is a river, it has inertia and
movement – you can be the person that removes the
obstacles or you can block the flow. Great managers
and workers visualize, facilitate and motivate people
to take ownership of the flow and move the company
and humanity forward.
We need to hire or promote people who don’t “drink
from the same well as you do” (don’t think the same
way). We need to do something different to change for
the better. Doing the same thing over and over, following
the same path leads you to the same place you are
now, you never move ahead.
Creativity at Work
– lead by Linda Naiman
Handling change, the heros journey – Think of a
U
shape
steps 1-4 going down to the bottom and 5-8
climbing back up. 1. Change 2. Destabilizing events
fear of the unknown 3. Chaos 4. Crucible of change
(the pits) 5. Transforming ideas Finding gold (your
true self) 6. Integrating your vision 7. Returning to
the Ordinary World and expressing your Golden Self
to create your new status quo 8. Experiencing wellbeing
by striving toward excellence using your unique
talents and potential for the good of others.
We also need healthy relationships, characterized by
empathy and trust, to engage in creative conversations
and collaboration.
“Where your talents and the needs of the world
cross, lies your calling.”;Aristotle
Art is a conversation in visual literacy. People are
more likely to understand documents that reach then
through several of their senses – seeing, (Seeing encompasses
reading words and pictures – symbols, body
language, icons and emotions) hearing touch or taste.
Be sure you reach out to people in as many ways you
can to reach those who respond to visual, audio, words
or numbers.
Listen for the brilliance in others. Often they are
quite, look different or act different than you do, but
may possess the answer you have been searching for.
What is your companies Point of Purpose? What is
your Point of Purpose? Where do they coincide? When
you are clear of what your point of purpose is you can
lead, communicate and help others. Create conditions
that encourage transformation and conversations on
accomplishing your personal, company and professional
goals.
Creative Innovation – Define desired out-come
1. Define challenge
2. Gather data
3. Question assumptions – ask why – What if, Why not,
don’t allow: but… or because that is the way we
have always done it.
4. Incubate thoughts and information
5. Evaluate
6. Develop prototype – test
7. Evaluate out-come
8. Accept process or go back to step 3 and repeat
9. Implement
10. CELEBRATE with everyone in the process
What is your narrative?
So much of what we think is possible is in the story
we tell ourselves about ourselves, about the people we
know, about the company, about the state, etc.
“Well that could never happen in Oklahoma” “You
know government, they don’t do it that way” “My
vote doesn’t matter, I’m too young/old for them to
care what I think”
It is easy to fall into that trap.
1. Renew your narrative. They have a tendency to be
come
self fulfilling. Evaluate what you think and say.
Is this story serving me or holding me back? Change
your story!
2. Challenge the challenges. Has the challenge become
routine – “this is the best we can do about this situation
so this is the way we do it.” Is it still a tough challenge
or is it just a routine we aren’t crazy about? What is
the next step what challenge should you be working
on now. New challenges come along each day. Keep
trying to improve.
3. Improve. “ Yes and we can also…” make the world
a better place. Make your job better.
make action plans, action steps, what would you like
to see happen?
Share Dreams!
Think Big Thoughts! Make imagination part of your
everyday thought.
You can’t move forward if you cant imagine something
better.
IF YOU WANT CREATIVE THINKING
YOU HAVE TO ALLOW
EXPERIMENTATION AND FAILURE!
Edison knew 100 ways how not to make a light bulb.
•It has to be OK to fail before you will risk trying
something new.
•Come to every problem or challenge from a point
of ignorance. The more you know the more likely
you are to assume you know all the answers. From
ignorance you can research, discuss and climb your
way up to a new solution.
• All people need to know how to follow, not just
lead. They need to be willing to be part of a team
success not just the star.
•Use the YES AND method in all discus
never no or but
•Always look for the BEST ANSWER in
•Creative – the ability to imagine things as
they could be.
•What is a dream of your
s
•Embrace constraints – learn to deal with
them and think “inside the box
CHANGE WILL HAPPEN
sations.
Listen actively!
that matters?
•Dreams can make change happen
•Notice Deeply
•Encourage Play
•Embrace Experimentation
•Think Big (crazy big vision!)
•Keep dialogues going. Engage in conver
stead
of the just the Right Answer.
!!
sions.
When ask “Can you, can we say:
“Yes and we could…”
It was a very good conference!
Sher Sester
CHANGE WILL HAPPEN
If you want it to or not, some good, some bad.
It is up to you to decide how to react to it.
Awesome. Are you in the GovLoop creativity group? If not, you definitely should be.