101 Activities For Teaching Creativity And Problem Solving

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To place our ideas, our dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To live is to risk dying.

To hope is to risk despair. To try is to risk failure.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.

Only a person who risks is free.

—Anonymous

Not all risks are equal. Some risks are more serious than others. For instance, the

potential risks of idea generation are much less serious than the risks of implementation.

Every time we think of or suggest an idea, we take a risk. Because we can’t survive with-

out new ideas, we must constantly take such risks.

The likely negative consequences of suggesting a “stupid” idea, however, pale in

comparison with the risks of implementing an idea. Introducing a product, process, or

service that later fails will cost an organization much more than any embarrassment

someone might experience from suggesting a so-called stupid idea. Lose face and the

organization goes on to play another day; lose too much market share or customer base

and the game soon may be over.

Viewed this way, risk taking isn’t so bad. Because idea generation activities involve

risks of generation and not implementation, be willing to suggest whatever ideas pop up.

Remember, ideas are the raw material of solutions and not the final product. Initial ideas

have the potential to spark more practical solutions. They don’t all have to be winners.

Adopt this philosophy and you’ll remove a lot of pressure when generating ideas.

A Summary of Creativity Principles

1. Separate idea generation from evaluation.


2. Test assumptions.


3. Avoid patterned thinking.


4. Create new perspectives.


5. Minimize negative thinking


6. Take prudent risks.

A Training Exercise Opportunity

If time is available, you may want to present and discuss these principles with training

participants. After describing each, ask small groups to brainstorm examples of each prin-

ciple and how to overcome any obstacles that might be involved. For instance, suppose a

group has discussed an example of how assumptions were or were not tested to avoid an

error. If they don’t suggest it, you might offer the importance of asking a lot of questions

to uncover assumptions, with a special emphasis on the “Why” question. That is, asking

“Why?” can force people to think of something they otherwise might have overlooked.

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