1. Creative Thinking in Action
Dr Bronwen Dalton

2. Agenda: 1. Start with Why? What is it?
creative thinking model & application
Speed Thinking and Ideas Blitz 
Reflections, Q&A’s

3. Exercise – discuss with a partner:
When and where are you at your most creative?
What are you doing when your best ideas emerge?

4. According to an IBM study (2010) among 1500 CEO’s around the world:
‘Creativity is the most important leadership quality for success in business.’

5. Why creativity is vital:
Drives innovation & growth
Consumers & clients expect it
Stand out from the crowd
Retailers want it
Enables Brands to compete with generics
Difficult to copy
Attracts & engages employees
Great fun!

6. What is it?
“Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being”.  
- Rollo May, The Courage to Create  
“A product is creative when it is (a) novel and (b) appropriate.”
—Sternberg & Lubart, Defying the Crowd

8. The 4 P’s Model of Creativity*
People
Process
Product
Press
Leadership
* Mel Rhodes, 1961, Hudson 2001

9. Some starting points:
Creative thinking is a skill we all possess.
It can be learned and improved with practice, the right tools and the right encouragement (at any age).
Applied to any activity.
It is about ideas rather than artistic abilities.
Can be used by individuals and groups. 

10. Graham Wallas – 4 stage model of Creativity*
Preparation
Incubation
Illumination
Verification
*The Art of Thought, 1926

11. Quick exercise:
e.g. How many uses can you think of for a ………………..?

12. + Divergent and Convergent Thinking: Divergent Thinking Convergent

13. My creative thinking model:
Current Situation:
Same Lens (L1)
Same Problem Definition (P1)
Same Results
Breakthrough:
Different Lens (L2)
Different Problem Definition (P2)
Different Results

14. The Power of 3 Tool:
Radical
Usual
Different

15. Arthur Koestler – Bisociation Thinking (1964):
Car Washing
What happens here?
Cafe ?

16. 4. Speed Thinking & Ideas Blitz

17. The magic starting formula:
Ideas
Minutes

18. The Blitz 5 step process*:
Start
Action
Enhance
Evaluate
Connect
* Can run one or all the steps depending on the challenge.

19. The Blitz Worksheet
Challenge:

20. Ideas Blitz – A Quick Summary:
A creativity & productivity tool you can use everyday
Used by individuals or groups (up to 6 people)
Flexible 5 - step process
2 to 20 minutes
Can be used by anyone, at any time, for any purpose
Face-to-face or Mobile App or any combination

21. Some real Ideas Blitz examples:
What are some communication ideas to help middle age men visit their doctor more regularly? (advertising agency)
What are the risks associated with recruiting talent via social media? (international hotel)
How can we better celebrate success? (healthcare company)
How can we encourage better communication between our silo’s? (pharmaceutical company).
What would be a short, sharp tag-line for our self-service promotions poster? (logistics company)

22. Reflections & Q&A’s

23. Last thoughts:
Creative thinking is a set of skills, tools, behaviours and processes.
These can be learned.
The more you practice the better you and your team will become.
It will become one of the key strengths in your career and life.