Jerry is on break and playing cards with
other employees when the pad he is keeping
score on continues to slip and slide
around. His frustration shows and then his
expression changes as though something
significant has occurred.
“Be right
back” he tells the rest of the
group.
He returns
with a small cup full of glue, but not just
any glue. This is some stuff they did not
know what to do with. It would stick
alright, but a slight tug and it came loose
and the engineers could not come up with a
use for this weak glue.
A dab on the
end of the score paper and it stayed put
for the whole game. When they were done, a
slight tug and up it came without leaving a
mark.
Yep, that is
the story as I have been told how one of
3M’s biggest sellers came to be. Post It
Notes® came to being from something that
was considered waste and had no
value.
It was
someone’s creativity in solving a problem
that made that useless glue into billions
of dollars!
Recently I
purchased a book called, “How to think like
Einstein” by Scott Thorpe. Here are just a
few ideas you could apply to tap into your
natural creativity! …..
1.
BREAK
THE RULES:
“Few people are capable
of expressing with equanimity opinions
which differ from the prejudices of their
social environment. Most people are even
incapable of forming such opinions.” Albert
Einstein
Everyone has
rules of some type, be they incited by
parents, organizations, governments or our
society. Unfortunately these rules can
become so ingrained and important that they
hinder us. They may be likened to being in
a deep rut and unable to see over the sides
for the answer.
The first
step in gaining insight and taping
creativity is to ignore or change the
rules!
An example is
playing Tic Tac Toe, we all know the rules
on how to play and you need three in a row
to win. So we get caught up in the rules
and quit playing because no one can
win.
So consider
these rule breakers and how they would
create a very different outcome.
1.
Extra turns,
just randomly take an extra turn. Yes you
would win most of the time. Does it cause
us to look at the situation
differently?
2.
Use the other
players assets, in other words use the X’s
if you have O’s to get three in a row. Once
more you probably win most of the time. The
real point is to get past just your own
ideas, why not use others and combine
them!
3.
Add
Flexibility, allow your line to be flexible
and go in both a straight line as well as
an angle. Who says everything has to
be in a straight line? Are there other
routes or methods one could use to get the
results.
4.
Cooperate,
the rules say someone must lose or draw.
Change the rules to say both players can
cooperate and both win. Use both X’s and
O’s in any form to get a win!
2.
FIND
THE RIGHT PROBLEM:
“Sometimes one pays the
most for the things one gets for nothing.”
Albert Einstein
This is very
common in problem solving. Too often a
problem is stated a few quick solutions pop
up and they are implemented. Soon the same
issue comes back and most likely in greater
intensity. The real core issue had not been
addressed.
A friend’s wife
came down one morning and simply collapsed,
unable to move. She was a strong healthy woman
that had no history of any health issues, yet
here she was in a hospital bed unable to
move!
For several days
the doctors tested and retested with no real
answer. A new doctor came in and asked for a
very detailed history of anything and
everything she had done in the past
week.
There were the
trips to the school and mall, doing the house
work, trip to the dentist, kids to the doctor
and evenings out with husband and
friends.
A quick exam of
her teeth provided the answer! The root canal
she had done a few days before had become
severely abscessed but provided no pain for
her. This was poising her body and attacking
her nervous system.
The next day she
was walking out of the hospital!
Until the
root cause was found, the doctors were only
guessing and throwing possible solutions at
the problem. When new eyes and ears viewed
the case, the root cause was found.
The best way
to do this, continually question, listen
and assume nothing!
3.
IGNORE
LIMITATIONS:
“Do not quench your
inspiration and your imagination; do not
become the slave of your model.” Vincent
Van Gogh
“But we can’t
do that!”
“Where are the assets or cash going to
come from?”
“There is no way we can do that!”
These are the
limiting laments of rules and rule
enforcers. Virtually every new and great
idea has been outside the realm of current
rules or standards.
When I was in the
Ag business these types of statements were used
quite often. Goals were set that seemed
impossible by the current rules and standards.
I had no idea how we could meet the goals, what
markets we would end up in or any type of
detailed plan.
All I knew was it
needed to happen and it would be figured out if
we just did not box ourselves in.
The five year
goal was exceeded in three years using markets
we did not even know existed prior.
Limitations
are the death of creativity and
ingenuity!
4.
THROW
AWAY OLD ANSWERS:
“Mere precedent is a
dangerous source of authority.” Andrew
Jackson
“We have
always done it this way!” are the most
dangerous words ever spoken when it comes
to creativity and growth.
If you look
at the organizations like Google, Ebay,
Utube and others with fast growth, you’ll
find they start with a clean slate and no
previous methods to block their
possibilities.
Put your
problem on a clean slate and throw out how
it has been done along with the rules. Now
be open to what could be! The answers
you get may amaze you.
There you
have four quick ideas on tapping more of
your creativity. Your challenge is to apply
them to your business as well as personal
challenges. You just may amaze yourself at
the answers you come up with.
There must be
a hundred ideas on how you can tap more of
your creativity!
The quote
that is on my wall from Einstein is:
“Great spirits have
always encountered violent opposition from
mediocre minds.” Albert
Einstein.
Yes, as we
take a different view and try a different
approach we will meet opposition. It simply
is the way it is. So be persistent and keep
looking at the world through the eyes of a
two year old, with wonder and
imagination!
Till next
week….
May the
greatest of solutions and ideas come to
you!!!
Harlan
Goerger
National Director of Training
© Harlan
Goerger, 5/2007
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