Aha! A User's Guide to Creativity , livre ebook

A ha! A U ser’s G uide T o C reativity
Inspiring Insight and Innovation in Individuals and Organisations
Robert Cannon and James Cannon
Austin Macauley Publishers
2023-01-06
Aha! A User’s Guide to Creativity About the Authors Dedication Copyright Information © Acknowledgements Introduction An Overview Why Is Creativity Such a Hot Topic? Why Is Creativity So Challenging? Our Approach About this Book Chapter 1 Creativity, Innovation and Problem-Solving What Is Creativity? A Definition of Creativity Novelty Value Creativity Innovation Problem-Solving The ‘Aha!’ Moment – A Process Model of Creativity Preparation Incubation Intimation Illumination Verification --> Chapter Summary and Conclusions Chapter 2 The Causes and Components of Individual Creativity Introduction Who I Am vs What I Do Who I Am The Problem with Personality Tests and Traits What I Do A Caveat for Research on Creative Individuals --> The Underlying Principles of Creativity Knowledge and Expertise Creative Thinking Skills and Imagination Intrinsic Motivation and the Attitude One Brings to the Process --> Chapter Summary and Conclusions Chapter 3 Enhancing Our Individual Creativity Introduction The Personal Conditions for Creativity Time of Day Energy Cycles Favourite Idea Generation Techniques Location Environment People You Are With Diversity of Input Relaxation and Incubation Props to Aid Creativity Removal of Distractions Structure Goals and Targets --> The Search for New Ideas Observing the World Around Us Exposure Attention Interpretation Memory A Simple Meditation for Being Present --> Learning Learning Styles Learning from Others – Benchmarking Learning Through Dialogue How We Listen What We Say How We Encourage a Creative Conversation --> Chapter Summary and Conclusions Chapter 4 Navigating and Overcoming the Blocks and Barriers to Creativity Introduction The Blocks and Barriers to Achieving Our Creative Goals Grit Mental Toughness and Resilience Some Techniques to Enhance Resilience --> Use CBT Approaches to Address the Fear of Failure and Negative Self-Talk Reframe a Fear of Failure Value and Praise the Effort, Not the Outcome Goal-Setting: Smart Goals, Process Goals and Sundowners Other Techniques The Role of the Supportive or Critical Friend A Caveat Chapter Summary and Conclusions Chapter 5 Techniques for Idea Generation Introduction Chapter Summary 1. Exercises to Get into a Creative Mood, Warm Up the Idea-Generating ‘Muscle’ or Bring About a Shift in Perspective a. Boxes Exercise b. The Cake c. Uses for a Paper Clip d. Random Word Association e. De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats f. Catch the Ball g. The 9 Dots Exercise h. Picture of George and Mrs Washington/Old Lady vs Young Lady i. Negative Influences j. Worst Ideas 2. Brainstorming a. Brainstorming Principles b. Imaginary Brainstorming c. Two Level Thinking d. Brain Writing e. The ‘Restatement Method’ of Brainstorming f. Affinity Diagram g. Visioning h. Scenario Planning 3. Role-Playing 4. Semantic Techniques a. Analogy and Metaphor b. Random Words c. Reversal d. Reframing e. Story Telling 5. Visual Techniques a. Mind Maps b. Fishbone Diagram c. Picture Associations d. Drawing the Problem e. Storyboarding f. Shield Exercise g. Visual Success Map 6. Attribute Combinations a. Morphology Strips b. Ideas Matrix 7. Serendipity a. Improvisation b. Randomness c. The Unconscious and Dreams 8. Research 9. Combined Approaches a. TRIZ b. Roger Von Oech’s Creative Solutions c. TILMAG d. SCAMM/ESEAM/SCAMPER 10. Observational Approaches a. Customer Ideas b. Empathic Design 11. Selection of Ideas a. Selection Grid b. Multi-Voting c. Impact Analysis 12. Implementation a. ‘The Pebble in the Shoe’ b. Force Field Analysis --> Chapter 6 Creating an Organisational Culture for Creativity and Innovation Introduction The Challenge of Organisation Design Creative Cultures Leadership The Leadership Questionnaire --> Organisation Design – Job Design, Structure and Process Creating Innovative Teams A Model of Team Development A Checklist for Innovative Teams --> Rewarding Innovation Resource Allocation and Control Possible Criteria for Evaluating a Bid for Resources for an Innovative Project --> Architecture and Building Design Helpers and Hinderers for an Innovative Culture Chapter Summary and Conclusions Chapter 7 Designing Problem-Solving Workshops and Other Creative Events Introduction Setting Up a Group Process Participants Ground Rules Group Dynamics Cognitive Differences --> A Generic Problem-Solving Process Step 1: Name the Problem Step 2: Probe to Identify What Might Be the Underlying Causes of the Problem Step 3: Identify the Goal of Your Problem-Solving Step 4: Identify Possible Solutions Step 5: Evaluate Solutions Step 6: Create an Action Plan Step 7: Troubleshoot the Plan Step 8: Monitor and Evaluate the Plan --> A Note on Idea Management Systems Other Approaches to Problem-Solving The Osborn Parnes Creative Problem- Solving Model (5) The Basadur Simplex Model (6) Team-Based Problem-Solving Stage 1—Setting Up the Team Stage 2—Where Are We Starting? Stage 3—Where We Want to Get to and by When Stage 4—How We Plan to Get There Stage 5—Going for It Stage 6—Where Next? --> Chapter Summary and Conclusions Chapter 8 From Creative Spark to Acceptance Introduction 1. Process Reinforce the Innovative Culture --> 2. Persuasiveness Incentives Understand Mappings Defaults Give Feedback Expect Errors Structure Complex Choices --> 3. Confidence 4. Commitment Personality and Production Thinking Biases --> 5. Practicality Change Management The Burning Platform Guiding Coalition Vision and Strategy Empower People Generate Short-Term Wins Consolidate Early Gains Anchor New Changes in the Culture Infrastructure and Resource to Facilitate Innovation Commercialising --> 6. Working with Resistance Fear of Failure Sunk Cost Wilful Blindness Personal Attachment Force Field Working with Emotion --> Chapter Summary and Conclusions Chapter 9 Creative Societies and Cities, and a Look to the Future Introduction External Factors of Creativity Resources Habitat Culture --> How Ideas Spread The Key Ingredients --> The Creative Class and Creative Societies Considerations for Education Transfer of Knowledge Co-Creation of Knowledge Developing Artificial Intelligence-Resistant Capabilities The Arts in Education --> Legal and IP Protection National Initiatives Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience Advances in Neuroscience --> The Future Appendix Uses for a Paper Clip Broken Squares Game A Gantt Chart References and Bibliography
About the Authors
James Cannon
James Cannon specialises in organisation design and development and has consulted with organisations in the UK, North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. He works as a coach to directors and senior executives, as well as mediating and facilitating events designed to improve the effectiveness of Boards and organisations. He speaks regularly to directors and at conferences and ran an extensive range of training courses for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK, as well as for other organisations. He was a visiting lecturer at Geneva University.
He was a fellow of two institutes (CIPD and CMI), British Psychological Society member and Manpower Society prize winner. He was formerly special adviser to the CIPD. In 2016, he gained an award from the British Government for his work in leadership development.
With a degree in Behavioural Science, a master’s degree in Manpower Studies and a doctorate in Organisational Psychology, his career has included director appointments at Charterhouse, Black and Decker and Thorn EMI, in Organisation Development, Human Resources, Information Technology and General Management, including founding and becoming Chief Executive of Solutions Electronic Services.
In 1989, he started his own consultancy, as well as co-founding Cavendish Partners, now merged with Right Management, a firm specialising in career counselling and coaching for senior executives. He is a trustee of Trinity, a charity working with homelessness in London; and of the Tracy Trust, a charity helping pensioners in Buckinghamshire.
He has written several books, including Cost-Effective Personnel Decisions , Database Directory , Giving Feedback , Making the Business Case , Talent Management and Succession Planning , Organisation Development and Change (the latter two with Rita McGee), Organisation Design and Capability Building (with Rita McGee and Naomi Stamford) and workbooks such as Team-Based Problem-Solving and the Career Review workbook . He was consulting editor of Toolclicks , the online service from CIPD.
Robert Cannon
Robert Cannon is a teacher, coach, facilitator and educator specialising in the arts and entertainment industry. He draws upon two decades of experience on the frontline of the music business in his work with the organisations and practitioners at the forefront of the arts and entertainment industry, as well as with the students who are its future. He has worked in the UK, USA, Australia and throughout Europe.
Rob is currently an academic lecturer in Arts & Entertainment Management at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM), having previously served as head of school and overseeing the degree programmes in Arts and Entertainment Management, Composition and Music Production, Audio Engineering and Dramatic Arts. Rob continues to write and teach a broad variety of courses and classes, including Creativity, Marketing, Strategic Partnerships, Introduction to Arts and Entertainment Management, Performance Psychology and others.
Rob has spent 20 years working in music. His first brush with the music industry was as a guitarist and pianist in several rock and jazz bands in the UK, before he started his career on the business side of the industry at Clive Davis’ J Records in New York.
Rob subsequently worked in A&R and marketing for several Sony and BMG labels in New York, London and Sydney, working with