I, Creator

"Creating the work that nourishes your life is one of the most rewarding paths to self-expression and joy." Salli Rasberry and Padi Selwyn, Living Your Life Out Loud

I’ve been rediscovering my need to be creative this week. Last Sunday, I went to a workshop at the downtown library to learn how to make an 8-page travel journal/collage out of one large sheet of paper. The instructor was Gail Lindley, owner of The Denver Bookbinding Company, somebody who knows everything there is to know about bookbinding because she has been in the business all her life. Her grandparents started the company.

I got interested in making handbound books a few years ago when I interviewed Gail for my column in the North Denver News. Since then, I have attended several classes on different kinds of handbound journals and have a stack of close to ten books on the subject on my dining room table as I write. When I got a Barnes and Noble gift card for my birthday, I spent it on handbound leather journals that I want to copy.

In one of the library books, I found a project for a little 3-D picture and I made a similar one using a picture of my dad in his army air corps uniform in 1942, his dad about 12 years later and a 1921 Model T, just like one my grandfather owned. It was fun to make and everybody admired my handiwork, which is also fun. I’ve also decided to make personal handmade birthday cards instead of sending mass-produced ones from the card shop.

I find that these creative outlets relax me and give me a feeling of accomplishment like almost nothing else I do. They also make me want to use more of my creative juices on my day-to-day work, which can only be a good thing.

My pastor once explained to me that the concept that we are made in God’s image doesn’t mean we look like God, but that we are born creators. I believe that. I know that the more creativity I can put into my everyday life, the happier I am.

©2007 Dixie Darr. All rights reserved

Restating the Problem

The first step in the creative process is to define the problem. This seems pretty straightforward, even obvious, so most people neglect this step. That is unfortunate because it may be the most important step in the process. How you define the problem determines how you solve the problem.

As in the Fable of the Two Steves, if you define the problem as needing money, then the solution involves getting more money. There are always alternate ways to define a problem, but they can be very difficult to see. Here are some techniques from Morgan D. Jones’ The Thinker’s Toolkit to help:

1. Paraphrase: Restate the problem using different words without losing the original meaning.

Initial statement: How can we limit congestion on the roads?

Paraphrase: How can we keep road congestion from growing?

2. 180 degrees: Turn the problem on its head.

Initial statement: How can we get employees to come to the company picnic?

180 degrees: How can we discourage employees from attending the picnic?

3. Broaden the focus: Restate the Problem in a larger context.

Initial statement: Should I change jobs?

Broaden focus: How can I achieve job security?

4. Redirect the focus: Boldly, consciously change the focus.

Initial Statement: How can we boost sales?

Redirected focus: How can we cut costs?

5. Ask “Why”: As “why” of the initial problem statement. Then formulate a new problem statement based on the answer. Then ask “why” again, and again restate the problem based on the answer. Repeat this process a number of times until the essence of the “real” problem emerges.

Initial Statement: How can we market our in-house multimedia products?

Why? Because many of our internal customers are outsourcing their multimedia projects.

Restatement: How can we keep internal customers from outsourcing their multimedia projects?

Why? Because it should be our mandate to do all of the organization’s multimedia.

Restatement: How can we establish a mandate to do all of the organization’s multimedia?

Why? Because we need to broaden our customer base.

Restatement: How can we broaden our customer base?

Why? Because we need a larger base in order to be cost effective.

Restatement: How can we become more cost effective?

Why? Because our profit margin is diminishing.

Restatement: How can we increase our profit margin?

A principle problem has emerged: How to obtain a mandate to do all of the organization’s multimedia projects.

You might find that looking at your problem from a slightly different perspective will lead to solutions you would never have otherwise considered.

©2007 Dixie Darr. All rights reserved

Traits of Creative People

"All achievements, all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea."
Napoleon hill

Creativity may become one of the most desired traits (or skills) of the 21^st century. A year ago, Kennesaw State University study found that while only 29% of MBA and EMBA programs offer courses in creativity and innovation, nearly 92% of the others expect to offer one in the next five years. That’s great news for those of us who teach creativity and value a generalist approach to business.

Here’s a list of 32 traits of creative people, compiled by Dr. Robert Alan Black.

sensitive

not motivated by money

sense of destiny

adaptable

tolerant of ambiguity

observant

perceive world differently

see possibilities

question asker

can synthesize correctly often intuitively

able to fantasize

flexible

fluent

imaginative

intuitive

ingenious

original

energetic

sense of humor

self-actualizing

self-disciplined

self-knowledgeable

specific interests

divergent thinker

curious

open-ended

independent

severely critical

non-conforming

confident

risk taker

persistent

How many do you possess?

©2007 Dixie Darr. All rights reserved

Fable of the Two Steves

"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Albert Einstein

Here’s a fable about creative problem solving. Once upon a time, back at the dawn of the computer age, lived two guys named Steve. Both Steves were what would become known as computer geeks and they desperately wanted a computer. In that era, a kit was available to build your own computer; it cost $500. The Steves didn't have $500. How would you define their problem?

Most people would say their problem was how to get $500. How do you get $500? You get a job and earn it or, if you're less conventional, you beg borrow or steal it. You sell a small, insignificant body part or something to which you are less attached. These days, you charge it to one of your many credit cards and worry about paying it later.

The two Steves, however, didn't define their problem that way. They decided that what they needed to do was find a way to get a computer without having $500. Friends who worked in the incipient electronics industry donated spare parts, and the Steves designed their own computer, which they named Apple. If they had defined their problem in the conventional way, we might not today have the endless debate about which is best: Mac or PC?

The moral of this story is:

__a. There is more than one way to define your problem.

__b. How you define the problem determines the solution.

__c. Money isn't always the answer.

__d. Small changes in thinking can produce big changes in the world.

__e. All of the above.

©2007 Dixie Darr. All rights reserved

How to Kill Creativity

In fact, most people are being squeezed in their little cubicle, and their creativity is forced out elsewhere, because the company can't use it. The company is organized to get rid of variants." Scott Adams

I’ve been sick with flu and pneumonia for the past couple of weeks and haven’t had the energy to do much of anything, including writing here. I’m feeling better now and am starting to feel alive again. My focus this week is creativity because I’m preparing to give a corporate workshop on the topic next week.

Here’s a list I found (author unknown) of phrases that kill creativity:

Our place is different

We tried that before.

It costs too much.

That's not my job.

They're too busy to do that.

We don't have the time.

Not enough help.

It's too radical a change.

The staff will never buy it.

It's against company policy.

The union will scream.

That will run up our overhead.

We don't have the authority.

Let's get back to reality

That's not our problem.

I don't like the idea.

I'm not saying you're wrong but...

You're two years ahead of your time.

Now's not the right time.

It isn't in the budget.

Can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Good thought, but impractical.

Let's give it more thought.

We'll be the laughingstock of the industry.

Not that again.

Where'd you dig that one up?

We did alright without it before.

It's never been tried.

Let's put that one on the back burner for now.

Let's form a committee.

It won't work in our place.

The executive committee will never go for it.

I don't see the connection.

Let's all sleep on it.

It can't be done.

It's too much trouble to change.

It won't pay for itself.

It's impossible.

I know a person who tried it and got fired.

We've always done it this way.

We'd lose money in the long run.

Don't rock the boat.

That's what we can expect from the staff.

Has anyone else ever tried it?

Let's look into it further.

We'll have to answer to the stockholders.

Quit dreaming.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

That's too much ivory tower.

It's too much work.

©2007 Dixie Darr. All rights reserved