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| Shake Loose Great Ideas That Will Change Your Future |
Before reading this, you may want to quick scan my other posts in this series.
Think as if There is
no Box
So,
here we are! The big day has arrived. The team has checked into the hotel and
the meeting room is prepared.
You
want to find new ways to solve tired old problems! Your greatest hope is to
come out of the two-day goal-setting session with ideas that will change the
course of your company. The goal is to shake loose world-changing ideas.
I’ve
used our method for various business and not-for-profit clients. I have also
adapted it for use with focus groups with great success.
- Finding golden nuggets
- Amazing creative solutions
- Creative linking, transference
- Ideas become “unstuck”
- Jolting normal patterns of thinking
Background
What
am I talking about? I was introduced to Creative Problem Solving while teaching
drama at a high needs Junior High School years ago. If you could cope with the daily
challenges, it was a fun place to teach. As one teacher said, “I loved teaching
there because the kids had “spunk! You never knew what was going to happen
next!”
Some
students faced social and economic barriers to learning. Others were involved
in pretty much every illegal activity on the books.
Into
this mix were dropped children of refugee families from Vietnam, Uganda, Chile,
Jamaica, Spain and other troubled areas of the world.
To
get the kid’s attention, we not only had to think outside of the box, but we also had to
think as if there was no box. We had to come up with innovative approaches to keep
them engaged and motivated.
Confidence Breeds
Success
The
first step was to convince them to stay in school. Although it was very innovative
for the time, we placed great emphasis on the arts offering music, drama, art,
photography and media. Practical arts like shop, home economics, and sports
options were also offered. We planned school fairs and sports days and encouraged
the kids to bring their parents and siblings.
Once
the students gained self-confidence and experience success it was easier to transfer
their interest to academics. While not all students made the leap, many did.
Two
of my former students own a multimillion-dollar fabricating company and are
national leaders in their industry. They give back in many ways. One way is to
give job applicants from the “hood” hiring preference.
Many
of my students went on to become doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, and
tradespeople. Most of all, most became great parents, community leaders, and citizens.
They are awesome people, no other descriptions necessary.
The System
My
method uses a brainstorming structure modified to a process I call Creative Problem-solving. The approach stimulates ideas that can seem off the wall, on the loony
tunes side. And that, is exactly what you want!
Totally
absurd ideas that bring gales of laughter and lively discussion break the ice
and get the process moving. When taken to a logical conclusion, many of these
ideas become nuggets leading to amazing creative solutions.
The process must flow unimpeded to allow creative linking and transference. Ideas
are “unstuck” as your team is and jolted out of normal patterns of thinking. It
helps if they have a sense of humor.
Donny Downer Rides
Again
A
long time senior executive was recently fired from a local post-secondary institution.
This was a big deal! It was a large school with a student body of 25,000+. It
was a surprise to the faculty, staff, academic community, and the fired gentleman
in particular.
The timing was interesting. Due to changing funding models and increased global
competition for students, the institution needed a complete organizational
transformation.
The
day after he was fired the C-Suite launched a process for radical change. The
executive team was able to express ideas without fear of rejection or
recriminations.
An insider told me the team experienced exhilarating freedom because the shadow of
“Donny Downer” was gone. With one look of disapproval, he could squish new ideas
before they could germinate. His heavy-handed manner and old-school thinking
had made him an original idea killer.
Getting Ready
So,
team makeup is critically important for goal setting. I also recommend hiring
an experienced facilitator who can control the room without being heavy handed.
You want someone who can shape discussions and take them towards finding new
ways to solve old problems.
Robyn T. Braley is a writer, speaker and music composer. He is the
President of UniMark Creative which focuses on website design, video
production, media services (editorial and advertising), and graphic design. Contact
him at robyntbraley.com or unimarkcreative.com.
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