The_Essential_Manager_s_Handbook

202 / BECOMING MORE EFFECTIVE

Being creative

Finding creative solutions

Creativity comes from abandoning

linear thought and making leaps

of the imagination. All your brain

needs is the stimulus to make

these leaps. Brainstorming is

one technique for helping do this.

Getting a group of people together

to throw out possible solutions

without the constraint of evaluating

the suggestions creates energy

and sparks new ideas. Another

technique is asking people to

consider the problem from a different

perspective, such as: “How will our

customers see this?” or “What if we

turn the question on its head?”

Practice being creative in your private

life, and it will develop your ability to

be creative at work. Stimulate your

brain by taking a different route to work,

completing crossword puzzles, learning

a new language, taking an activity

holiday, or finding a new experience.

Many problems have simple solutions, but those are the problems that

everyone can solve. Being creative enables you to solve, or contribute

to solving, difficult problems. This will get you noticed. Some people

appear naturally creative, but creative problem-solving is a skill that

you can learn and hone through practice.

STIMULATE CREATIVITY

Very few good ideas have

been created by sitting alone

at a desk. Change your scene,

have a coffee and relax, or

interact with others.

Tip

Practice being creative in

your private life, and it will

develop your ability to

be creative at work

US_202-203_Being_creative.indd 202 30/05/16 3:03 pm