Your creative thinking button is saying hello.
To help you be more creative, we heeded our expert’s guidance and asked our customers what creative thinking skills they need in their organizations.
In fact, we’ve rounded up dozens of studies that are sure to provide some much-needed, long-overdue advice.
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Today, let’s dive into the captivating world of creative thinking skills in the workplace and discover how they can pave the way for endless possibilities, innovation, and personal growth.
What is Creative Thinking?
How creative are you?
Creative thinking is the magical ability to transcend traditional thought patterns and come up with original, innovative, and imaginative ideas.
Creativity and problem-solving is the spark that ignites progress, pushing us to break free from the norm and explore uncharted territories.
While some might think creativity is reserved for artists or inventors, it’s a skill we all possess, waiting to be awakened!
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Why is Creative Thinking Important?
- Innovation: Creative thinking and decision-making is the heart and soul of innovation. Whether it’s in science, technology, business, or any other domain, creativity breeds solutions that transform the world.
- Problem-Solving: When we think creatively, we see problems from different angles and find innovative ways to overcome them, leading to better outcomes.
- Adaptability: In a rapidly changing world, the ability to think creatively allows us to adapt and thrive amidst uncertainty.
- Expression and Communication: A creative thinking process can helps us express our thoughts, emotions, and ideas in unique ways, fostering effective communication.
How to Enhance Creative Thinking Skills?
- Embrace Curiosity: Stay curious like a child exploring the world for the first time. Ask questions, seek answers, and challenge assumptions.
- Diverge and Converge: In the creative process, allow your thoughts to diverge (generate multiple ideas) and then converge (narrow down and refine the best ones).
- Step Outside Your Comfort Zone: Push yourself beyond familiar boundaries, trying new experiences and engaging with different perspectives.
- Mindfulness and Reflection: Set aside time for introspection. Mindfulness and reflection can help you identify patterns, connect ideas, and spark new insights.
- Collaborate: Engage in brainstorming sessions with diverse groups of people. Collaboration can lead to an amalgamation of ideas that you might not have thought of alone.
- Embrace Failure: Don’t fear failure; see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Some of the greatest innovations came from embracing setbacks.
- Practice, Practice, Practice: Like any skill, creative thinking improves with practice. Engage in activities like writing, drawing, or any creative outlet that appeals to you.
Fun Creative Thinking Exercises:
- Random Word Association: Pick a random word and try to connect it with various ideas or objects. This exercise boosts your ability to make unique connections.
- Reverse Thinking: Flip a problem on its head and think about achieving the opposite outcome. Sometimes, this leads to unexpected solutions.
- Daydream Time: Dedicate some time each day to let your mind wander and daydream. Unique ideas can arise from this seemingly unstructured activity.
- Create a Vision Board: Collage images, words, and ideas representing your dreams and goals. Visualization can stimulate creative thinking.
Let’s embrace our innate creative thinking skills and harness their potential to shape a brighter, more innovative future.
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With 30+ years of experience, Catherine Fitzgerald, B.A., M.A., PGDip, founded Oak Innovation in 1995. Catherine received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s from University College Cork. She holds qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. She is completing a second Master’s from University College Cork. Since 1995, clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.