Creativity
Creativity is the ability to produce ideas or problems to solutions that are unique, appropriate, and valuable.
WHAT IS CREATIVITY?
People can be creative whether they are outgoing or shy, naive or sophisticated, impulsive or steady as a rock. they can also be creative whether they are involved in painting, writing, architecture, mathematics, teaching, or child raering
Psychologist Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, describes creative people as having flexibility and fluency in ideas, with the ability to know a good idea from a bad one.
Because people often use the word genius when talking about extremely creative people, many make the mistake of linking creativity with traditional intelligence....Actually, intuition, which is the direct perception or insight, has been shown to be much more important to creativity than scholastic ability.
Creative people usually average or above-average in intelligence, but being a genius ( in the way that traditional intelligence is measured) does not automatically make someone creative.
PERCEPTION AND CREATIVITY
How many people throughout history never tried to invent the airplane because they were in the habit of believing that humans cannot fly? Even Galileo, the great pioneer astronomer, fell into this trap. He saw comets throughout his telescope, but refused to accept them because he was used to believing that all heavenly bodies must move in a circle. Those that didn't move in circles, he decided incoorectly,m where optical illusions.
Likewise, groups of people ( such as companies, committees, and universities) are often unable to move beyond habits of thinking. Groups often have their own beliefs about what should be done how it should be done; these are called collective habits of thought. Both individuals and groups need to get past the old, established ways of seeing things if they are going to increase their creativiy.
Perception is the way in which a person views the word
Being able to look at the world from different angles makes a great difference in how creativity you deal with in the world and solve problems
Research has shown that highly creative people aren't afraid to ask what might seem to be silly or childish questions. They might ask questions such as: " Why do rivers rarely run north?" or Why don't spiders get tangled up in their own webs?" the curiosity everyone has as a child is an essential part of the creative process. Most major discoveries would not been made without curiousity
Some Characteristics of creative people
Expert Knowledge. It is difficult to be creative about things that you don't know much about. Creative people generally come up with new ideas and solutions to problems in their own, or related, areas of expertise. The process of becoming an expert in any field is good practice for creativity because it takes practice and hard work to become an expert at anything.
Openness to new experiences. Creative people are typically less rigid and more flexible. They are not close-minded or inhibited, but are curious and questioning.
Independent spirit. Creative people are usually independent thinkers who prefer to do things their own way. They don't mind working alone, and they are not easily swayed by others opinions
Internal motivation. Creative people are motivated by intrinsic motivators.
Persistence. Creativity requires patience, hard work, and the ability to persevere.
CREATIVITY AND INTELLIGENCE OR CREATIVE INTELLIGENCE
For many years, people assumed that intelligence was a one dimensional concept of just reasoning ability, measured by standardized tests.
Researchers such as psychologist Howard Gardner, have discovered that there is more than one way to be smart. Instead of asking, " How smart are you.?" Gardner would ask, "How are you smart?" He is referring to the eight intelligences- eight separate areas in which creative people put their perceptiveness to work.
People who have verbal intelligence are gifted writers, poets, songwriters, and speakers. If you love language and are fascinated by its meanings, expressions, and rhythms, your intelligence falls into this sea
2. Math and Logic
Scientists and mathematicians find pleasure in using logical, reasoning parts of the brain. If you enjoy puzzles of logic or brain teasers, you are strong in this type of intelligence.
3. Music
Most people whose intelligence falls into this category have a relationship with sounds.
4. Spatial reasoning
A person who excels in this area has a knack for seeing how elements fit together in space. This type of intelligence can be expressed by building things, or by something as simple as perfecting the art of flying a hand glider.
5. Movement
Most people probably haven't though of physical movement as a part of intelligence because it is not part of the traditional definition. but ability to use your body or parts of your body to solve problems is a type of intelligence ( also known as kinesthetic intelligence)
6. Interpersonal intelligence
This is area of intelligence deals with one's ability to understand and deal with the world of people
7. Intrapersonal intelligence
Intrapersonal intelligence means knowledge of yourself. The person with this type of intelligence is introspective, or able to examine his or her own life and experiences.
8. Naturalist intelligence
The person who is high in this type of intelligence has an understanding of nature and natural processes.
CREATIVE METHODS FOR GROUPS
Brainstorming is a type of spontaneous group discussion to help find multiple solutions for problems.
With a leader in front to record their ideas, they begin by addressing a problem. In the first session, nothing is allowed except free flowing ideas. Everyone is encouraged to speak in phrases rather than in sentences, to hitchhike on the ideas of others, and to be as wild and crazy as they can be within the social context. No one is allowed to put down anyone else's ideas.
When the first session over, the second session begins . In this part of the brainstorming process, the adult part of everybody's personality takes over. The group examines the ideas that have come up, noticing whether any of them duplicate each other. The group can then prioritize the ideas, agreeing together which is the most important, second, and so on.
When a group brainstorms. following these rules correctly, an amazing number of high-quality ideas are produces in a fairly short period of time.
First Session
Participants speak in phrases
Hitchhiking on other's ideas is encouraged
Criticism is forbidden
Silliness is encouraged
Climate is relaxed
All ideas are recorded
A large quantity of ideas is encouraged
Second Session
Return to rational mode
All ideas are analyzed and prioritized
Idea duplications are eliminated
Ideas are ranked in order of importance
Everyone gives evaluative input, just as all gave creative input in Session One.
Nominal group method encourages creativity within a group framework by allowing everyone to offer ideas individually
6 steps of this method
1. Each employee puts his or her ideas down in writing
2. The leader lists all of the ideas up on a board or chart where everyone can see them
3. The leader leads a discussion to clarify the ideas and add new ones
4. Each group member rates the ideas and votes; the voting eliminates other ideas at this point.
5. After the vote there is a brief discussion of the voting results. The purpose is to clarify points, not to persuade anyone.
6. The group cast a final vote to select the proposal or proposals that will be used
Increase your Creativity
1. Get into the open mode
2. Think of yourself as a creative person
3. Learn to see problems as opportunities
4. Look for more than one or two solutions to a problem
5. Learn to think outside the norm
6. Turn your ideas into action
7. Don't be afraid to break some rules
8. Don't be afraid to make mistakes
9. Spend time with creative people
10. Capture creative ideas when they happen
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