of both trainers presenting, plus activities to involve the partici-
pants. Also, when space gets tight on the page, it is easy to squeeze
in more information if the new information is a different color from
the lettering that surrounds it.
Frankly, I am amazed that more people don’t use a four-color
pen. Why? Because people, sooner or later, migrate toward what
works. Flip charts, sticky notes, emails, Websites, and the like all
exist because people value them. They use them and get results.
Given the value that I’ve received from the use of four colors, I
don’t understand why they aren’t more popular. Could it be simple
vanity? Let’s face it, they don’t look too great. Schlocky, fat, plastic
pens. No fashion statement, to be sure. But they work.
Another tip for personal creativity is to find ways to interrupt
your patterns. I know, this is so painfully obvious as to be insult-
ing. You’re right. I take it back. Do the same old thing forever,
see if I care. Actually, I read articles all the time that make this
point (it’s probably THE main point to be made about creativity),
but they give the stupidest examples. Here’s an article on un-
locking your creativity from a Florida paper: “Change your pat-
terns.... Take a new route to work: better yet, bike to work or
take the bus instead. Go to the park, take your shoes off and eat
your lunch instead of huddling over your desk.”
Oh, brother. My first reaction to this article was to call the
writer and ask him to rewrite it with his shoes off. Better yet, take
his tie off, because I don’t think enough oxygen is reaching his
brain. I mean, really, has he ever been to Chicago in January? You
want to try biking in January? You want to try lunch in the park
with your shoes off? With three feet of snow and the wind chill at
30 below? Go right ahead, Admiral Byrd. While you’re at it, find
a new route, preferably one with unplowed roads and snowdrifts
over your head. Also, I wonder if this author has ever in his life
taken his own advice and purposely tried a new route to work. If
so, did it do any good?
How did this uninspiring author ever come up with the ideaGetting Personal 21914-25 ware 219 1/19/01, 1:17 PM