Innovation in the Workplace: Unleashing the Power of Creative Thinking
Creative thinking breathes new life into conventional problem-solving by inviting us to examine situations from unexplored angles to uncover novel solutions. It's about stepping beyond the usual confines, daring to venture beyond the known borders of thought.
The word ‘creative’ has three connotations – it is an ability, an attitude, and a process. An ability, to be creative is to be capable of inventing something new. As an attitude, it is the capability to accept change and the willingness to embrace new things. As a process, it is the perseverance to continually improve existing ideas and solutions, making refinements and alterations to your work.
Understanding Creative Thought
Concepts of creative thinking are like guiding stars in the vast cosmos of the mind, helping us navigate the abstract realms of creativity by breaking down its core principles.
Incremental Evolution: It's about valuing each small step forward, knowing that big leaps are made of tiny hops. It's the incremental betterment of ideas. In a workplace, this could mean tweaking procedures for enhanced efficiency.
Idea Synthesis: Merging different concepts, much like weaving separate threads into a single tapestry, to craft something unprecedented. Think of how audiobooks merge literature with technology to provide an immersive experience for those who cannot see.
Radical Revolution: Here, the change isn't just gradual; it's fundamental, replacing the old with something entirely new. Imagine a restaurant that revolutionises ordering with a fully automated, table-mounted system, eliminating the need for a waiter's presence.
Innovative Reapplication: Sometimes, innovation lies in repurposing the old in new contexts—like transforming a shattered mirror into a work of art, or repurposing a paperclip into a miniature screwdriver.
Approaches to Creative Thought
Approaches to creative thinking are the methods we deploy to walk through the creative process and apply it effectively.
Brainstorming: The quintessential technique where ideas are harvested in a group setting, and encouraged to grow wild and free.
Lateral Thinking: It's about sidestepping the conventional to uncover paths less common, those that lead to fresh, inventive solutions.
What-If Exploration: This approach liberates us from the shackles of reality by asking "what if" and pursuing the answers in unexpected places.
Attribute Analysis: By dissecting a problem to its bare bones, we can tackle its components directly, or peel the layers further, like understanding the facets of poor economic judgment to combat poverty.
Models of Creative Thinking
Visual frameworks that explain the dynamics of creative thinking and its application are invaluable tools for understanding the creative process.
Wallas's Four-Stage Process: One of the foundational models that delineate creativity as a journey through preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification.
Source: https://www.futurelearn.com/
Osborn's Seven-Step Model: Advocates for a balance between analytical rigour and imaginative flight, suggesting that ideas born in brainstorming need subsequent refinement to truly shine.
Source: https://createwithalan.blogspot.com/
Associate Professor Mordechai Katash is an Associate Program Director at UBSS Melbourne CBD Campus.
