4 Things We Have Wrong About Creativity
Think
creativity is all blue walls and blue skies? Nope. It’s more about sitting on
an airplane and coming up with a lot of bad ideas.
“Creativity” may not be the first word that
comes to mind when you hear the word “conglomerate.” But Christian Stadil, CEO and co-owner of Denmark-based Thornico,
a sprawling enterprise with holdings in food, technology, shipping, and others,
will likely change your mind about that.
Stadil
is so enthusiastic about the concept of creativity that he has co-authored a
new book with psychology professor Lenne Tanggaard, who teaches at the University of Aalborg in
Denmark. In the Shower with Picasso, out in May, looks at creativity in business, the arts, and
other areas and explores how we can all become more creative. In doing so,
Stadil says the duo discovered that some of the very fundamental beliefs we
have about creativity are wrong. Here, he shares four common misconceptions.
Most creative breakthroughs,
including ideas and products, come from well-trod areas within your own
expertise, Stadil says. When you want to be more creative, look at what you do
already and try to look at “the edge of your existing competent area,” he says.
Don’t go to an auto show trying to get inspiration for ideas about how your
sales team can crack a new market (unless it’s related to automobiles, of
course).
That kind of far-flung disconnect
isn’t likely to lead to relevant new ideas. Instead, think about how you can
stretch the edge of your own competency or what you currently believe is
possible, then work toward solutions there. That stretch area is the most
fertile ground for creative solutions, he says.
While it may seem like breakthroughs
come in a rush and tumble of ideas, true inspiration typically comes when our
minds aren’t clogged with extraneous thoughts. That’s why you get your best
ideas after you’ve left your desk--when you’re out for a walk or in the shower,
he says. You’ve cleared the flotsam and jetsam and have given yourself space
for creative solutions to arise. That’s always why it’s tough to be creative on
demand--you can’t force it, he says.
Yes, it can be inspirational to work
in a beautiful place. However, Stadil and Tanggaard found that some of the most
common places for inspiration strikes were surprising--including automobiles,
airlines, gyms, and showers. But when they analyzed why, they realized these
spaces had some aspects in common.
You’re in a confined space with
limited demands on your attention. It’s likely you’re somewhat secluded, unless
you’re traveling or flying with someone. The white noise of the water, engine,
and other ambient sounds provides a buffer against complete silence, which can
be distracting. Combined, these factors leave you free to think about new
ideas. It’s also why many of us so often find ourselves scrambling to jot down
ideas or to-do list items at these inconvenient times.
Geniuses produce a lot of crap
before they get to the good stuff. Stadil says that one of the duo’s most
important findings is that the more someone produces, the greater the chances
that something good is coming out. From Edison to Einstein, many of the
greatest minds were always busy working on something new. Some ideas were
breakthroughs--many were failures, he says. For example, the team’s findings in
studying Nobel-prize winners in science were that the winners were nearly twice
as productive, writing papers and conducting research, than those who didn’t
win. Take that, perfectionism.
“Even Einstein, one of the brightest
guys ever, delivered papers where people said, ‘Ah, Einstein, that you have to
do it again.’ ‘Einstein, do you really think that is good enough?’ This means that
we really have to produce, produce, produce because if we don’t produce enough,
the chance for one of the many ideas to be good is not high enough. We have to
try and fail, try and fail, try and fail,” Stadil says.
By Gwen Moran
http://www.fastcompany.com/3025319/work-smart/4-things-we-have-wrong-about-creativity?partner=newsletter
No comments:
Post a Comment