The Role of Creativity in Strategic Thinking

1. The Role of Creativity in Strategic Thinking

2. Agenda Think Strategically Right Brain/Left Brain Innovation and Creativity Primary Principles of Innovation Creativity Generator It’s All About Possibility Wrap Up and Questions

3. Strategy • Determination of the basic long-term goals and objectives of an enterprise, and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary for carrying out these goals • Strategic thinking and creativity are requirements of doing this activity well

4. Strategic Thinking Answers four key questions: • Where are we now? • Where do we want to be? • How do we get there? • How will we know?

5. Reorganizing Klee’s Colour Table There are many ways to see the same thing

6. Right Brain or Left Brain? • Are you predominantly right brain or left brain? • Do you see the image rotating clockwise or counter clockwise? • If it spins clockwise, you supposedly use more of your right brain • If it spins counter clockwise, you’re more of a left brain person

7. LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS • Uses logic • Detail oriented • Facts rule • Words and language • Present and past • Math and science • Can comprehend • Knowing • Acknowledges • Order/pattern perception • Knows object name • Reality based • Forms strategies • Practical • Safe RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS • Uses feeling • “Big picture" oriented • Imagination rules • Symbols and images • Present and future • Philosophy and religion • Can "get it" (i.e. meaning) • Believes • Appreciates • Spatial perception • Knows object function • Fantasy based • Presents possibilities • Impetuous • Risk taking

8. We need both types of people in a planning process • Those who can see the forest (big picture) and those who can see the trees (details)

9. Think Strategically • You can use innovation to meet the gap between increased or new community needs and a lack of financial resources

10. Innovation Creativity • Innovation = the development of new ideas or methods, that when implemented, create value • Creativity = the ability to transcend traditional ideas. Creativity is the starting point for innovation and is applied throughout the innovation process

11. Primary Principles of Innovation • Everything is connected to everything • New thoughts, new action, new results • Everyone is creative and innovative

12. Everything is Connected to Everything • Everything in the universe affects everything else because they are part of the same unbroken whole • We live based on an explicit order (normal everyday thoughts and perceptions) – based on our filters • We need to move to an implicate order (beyond normal everyday thoughts and perceptions) – start with the fact that you don’t know the answer and that you are only able to see a piece of a fuller range of possibility • What’s the bigger picture?

13. Small Group Discussion • Everything is connected to everything • What are the implications of this principlefor our planning process?

14. New Thoughts, New Actions, New Results • Thought is the starting point of every new creation. Thought creates • If our thinking doesn’t change neither will the results • The range of our present possibilities does not extend far beyond the range of our present thoughts • Thinking determines actions. Actions determine results

15. Nine Dot Puzzle Directions: Connect the 9 dots using four straight lines without lifting the pencil from the paper

16. Ah, the phenomenon of the mind...we see a box with dots in four corners even when it doesn’t exist

17. Small Group Discussion • New thoughts, new actions, new results • What are the implications of this principlefor our planning process?

18. Everyone is Creative and Innovative • Creativity and innovation are not rare • Creativity and innovation can be studied • Can be developed by anyone • Less than 5% of people over 45 years are creative. At age 5 it was 90%. What is the conclusion?

19. Small Group Discussion • Everyone is creative and innovative • What are the implications of this principlefor our planning process?

20. Creativity • What is the difference between the right answer and the best answer? • Don’t stop generating ideas with the first one that you think is “right”. The first “right” answer is not necessarily the best answer • What is half of 8?

21. Creativity Generator • Scan: need to define the right question • Focus: need to use the right criteria • Act: build, test, draft, learn • Always start with an individual generated list and then work as a group to scan and focus • Do not use phrases that shut down the discussion

22. Scanning Guidelines • Quantity not quality counts • Don’t be logical or evaluate • Scanning is not about being right • Create a free association of ideas • Welcome radical ideas

23. Focusing Guidelines • First, select the right criteria • Quality counts – use best judgement • Listen carefully • Value differences • Let your thoughts be known • Do not focus while scanning!

24. Activity • Scan: Write down all the uses you can think of for my belt • Focus Criteria: Most unique idea • Do a personal scan and focus (top 3 choices) and then a group scan and focus (top 3 choices)

25. Questions to Stimulate Creativity • What would you do if there was no money or time limitations? • How can we improve this work AND make it more fun? • What is the great “gift” in this problem? • How else might we define the problem we are discussing? • How else might we solve this problem?

26. It’s All About Possibility • The Art of Possibility - YouTube

27. Discussion Question • How can innovation and creativity be used in your planning process?

28. Reflection • What learnings and reflections do I have from this session? • What are some potential actions for my Regional Network?

29. Wrap Up and Questions

30. References • GoInnovate! (2003). Making Innovation Happen Seminar and Workbook. • Winer, Michael and Karen Ray. (1994). Collaboration Handbook: Creating, Sustaining and Enjoying the Journey. Minnesota: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. • Zander, Rosamunde Stone and Benjamin Zander. (2000). The Art of Possibility. New York: Penguin Books.