Teaching Creativity

[Robert Alan Black]

I know there are a number of Creativity Champions out there who teach and train around creativity, innovation and ideation. Let us know who you are and your Number One rule for nourishing creativity.

[Susan Newhouse]

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's responses. I believe my Number One rule for nourishing creativity would be 'Show Your Vulnerability.' I feel creativity is hindered when you are the teacher who knows it all. When you don't have all the answers, it encourages others to help you get there (thus expressing their creativity). I also show my vulnerability through humor and humorous situations -- when others see me acting goofy, it gives them carte blanche to do the same. It's amazing how this can break down so many barriers!

[Mary Ellyn Vicksta]

I also believe that showing your vulnerability gives others permission to show theirs.

And, I would add to this...humbleness...I believe if you are humble and act in that way, then others will be more open.

Cheers,
Mary Ellyn

Susan Newhouse said:

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's responses. I believe my Number One rule for nourishing creativity would be 'Show Your Vulnerability.' I feel creativity is hindered when you are the teacher who knows it all. When you don't have all the answers, it encourages others to help you get there (thus expressing their creativity). I also show my vulnerability through humor and humorous situations -- when others see me acting goofy, it gives them carte blanche to do the same. It's amazing how this can break down so many barriers!

[Robert Alan Black]

What role does fear play in teaching, encouraging and accelerating creativity?

[Robert "Alan" Black]

Tom

How do you find that fear plays a role in creativity and creative thinking?

Alan

[Say Keng LEE]

I reckon fear in the context of the question is the "fear of losing out to those who are running to or already at the forefront".

Creative people are always at the forefront, of doing something new or better, for themselves.

Fear can also be the fear of "staying stuck with inertia, hanging out or loafing in the dormant zone, with no future in sight".

Fear can be a very powerful motivator. It pushes you.

For me, I always have 3 options to deal with fear:

- Fold i.e. fall apart & panic;
- Freeze i.e. stay inert & immobile; or
- Focus: get out of the comfort zone & venture into the stretch zone, so to speak;

In a nut shell, it is analogous to Anthony Robbins' "pain/pleasure" approach.

It was the fear (read: "pain") of staying stuck as a corporate rat during the early nineties that I had eventually decided to leave the corporate world after 24 years of working in quiet desperation, to pursue my fondest dreams, to do what I love & love what I do (read: "pleasure").

Creativity was then foremost in my mind.

I converted my favourite hobbies - reading, writing, playing with fun stuff - into small entrepreneurial ventures.

That's how I got started with 'Optimum Performance Technologies", a strategy consulting & training firm, & 'The Brain Resource', a small retail outlet for creativity books, toolkits & other resources - the first of its kind in Singapore. [Many creativity gurus/authors have visited my store, including Arthur vanGundy, Ted Coulson, Daniel Kim, Robert Alan Black, Michael Morgan, just to name a few]. I even wrote a subscription newsletter for 2 years.

Has it not been the extreme fear of inertia that I would probably have remained today a corporate rat until I retire at 62 (Singapore's official age for retirement).

In my creativity workshops for pros, I always paint "nightmare scenarios" as a prologue at the onset when I talk about challenges in the 21st century. They always wake participants up.

[Sandya Shinde]

Thx Tom for the invitation to this group. Hi I am Sandya , artist by profession (http://sruti.us) . My number one rule for nourishing creativity is to catch them young and help them express it before they forget all about it! I mean Kids - presently I am in process of figuring out, what can I do to help kids (age 4-5 yrs , later will focus on older age groups) express creativity. I have a question for the group : Do we all believe that children are creative and need their energies to be channelized so that they can express themselves ? Or is it that children need some creativity workshops? Opinions welcome ! Mostly it will be helpful if I get some ideas on what kind of creativity/expression workshops will help children !

[minnegraeve]

I tutor creativity and innovation at the Open University Business School in the UK. I also teach and train people in creativity and (service) innovation in organizations. I don't see a Number One rule as such, it depends on the people, the cause, the level you are looking at and where you are in the process. Some of the "guidances" that I like:

- It's already in you, nurture it
- The map is not the territory
- Know what you really want
- Value play

There are many more at least equally valuable than these, as I could read through the contributions of others!

[Meredith Bourne]

The number one rule is to be engaged everyday. Also, believe that you can be creative and you will be!

[Philippe Deslauriers]

Good morning to all,

I just joined this group. It is interesting to read you all!

Sandya, concerning kids, I firmly believe that they're most effective mainly because of the absence of misconceptions and barriers that we live with. When growing old, they are being corrupted by our society and its pressure (Paul Valery said that childrens enter school with question mark and leave with period!). As adults, it is our ability to go back to an infancy stage that makes us creative people. After all, in absence of barriers it is easier to see the field!!


Concerning workshop I would try a few with kids but in order to study them and apply the technique to an "older" audience. Kids have the ability to channel energy quite effectively and tend to have longer attention span than adults...

[Robert Alan Black]

Say - I just saw a wonderful documentary on an amazing music education group, the Louisville Leopards. Look at the promo video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV_hT-Bn-bY&feature=related. Their website is: http://louisvilleleopardpercussionists.com.
The half hour HBO documentary is at: http://www.hbofamily.com/programs/music-in-me-leopards-take-manhatt....

The group's founder, Diane Downs, says of her approach, "No one in the group is a star. We rotate kids around so that they experience different parts and different instruments. Sometimes it’s good to see the top kids take a back seat while weaker players learn to become stronger. Sometimes a strong player is a coach to a weaker player, with lots of positive reinforcement and friendly help. The tune might not sound as good as it would with a stronger player on the part, but the personal accomplishment that both kids are experiencing is priceless; the weaker player accomplishing a goal and the stronger player contributing to someone else’s success. "

One of the lessons I took from watching the inspiring and very entertaining documentary is that one should never under estimate the abilities of one's students. Another lesson was - sometimes NOT knowing the "right" way to do something leads you to invent and innovate and push past pre-conceptions.

[Manar]

hi......
beliving in creativity sounds good .but not any one could be a beliver .so when you find a beliver then you find creativity .
or maybe you are a beliver on the other hand you could do nothing .person should belive and act in the same time to be considered a creative person .

Kamel Mnisri said:

I have recently completed my PhD. My research project focused on approaches in developing creativity within organisations and revealed one method to define, to set up and to guide any creative work within organisations.
The rule number one for nourishing creativity is to beleive in creativity.

[Juan Carlos Rosman]

Sorry for my english. I teach creativity since 1980, and my first rule is to play my own creativity during the workshop. The other rule, in the same level, is to have trust on my students, following the statements of the Pigmalion Principle.