101 Activities For Teaching Creativity And Problem Solving

60. Get Real!!

Background

We’ve all heard it before: “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard!” “It’ll

never work!” “That’s pretty dumb.” “Get real!!” We seem to be condi-

tioned to react negatively whenever we hear a new idea. Sometimes, the

more innovative the idea, the more repulsed we are. It’s as if our attitude is

“If I haven’t heard of it (or thought of it) before, then it can’t be any good”

(the “not-invented here syndrome”).

Well, get real! Such a negative attitude isn’t going to benefit us

individually or in groups. In fact, this attitude can establish a nega-

tive climate that eliminates the possibility of developing any useful,

innovative ideas. There is a bright side to such an attitude, howev-

er. It can be turned around and used to stimulate ideas.

Objectives

• To help participants generate as many creative ideas as possible


• To help participants learn how to use the activities to generate ideas

Participants

Small groups of four to seven people each

Materials, Supplies, and Equipment

• For each group: markers, two flip charts, and masking tape for posting flip-chart
  sheets


• For each participant: one sheet each of three different colors of sticking dots
  (^1 ⁄ 2 ′′diameter) and one pad of 4 x 6 Post-it®Notes

Handout

• Get Real!! Handout

Time

30 minutes

258 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving

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