Stuck in a Rut? Pump Up Your Company's Creativity (Part 2 of 2) - Marketing Watchdog Journal

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		September 2008, Issue 55

Lead-Generation Best Practices
Stuck in a Rut? Pump Up Your Company's Creativity (Part 2 of 2)
By Karen Post, The Branding Diva®, and Co-founder and CEO of Oddpodz.com

Five Ways to Build Your Creative Muscle

Okay, for all you folks who love statistics, here's one: 89.7 percent of all statistics are made up. This next one is actually true: 90 percent of all kids are considered creative—yet only 2 percent of all adults are. What happened to all those creative people? Did aliens come down and surgically remove their creativity, while erasing all memory of the procedure?

"As adults we are so conditioned by the four Rs of adult thinking: rules, restrictions, rejection, and reason," Michael Michalko explains in his book, Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques.

Well the good news here is you can be a born-again creative with a little devotion. All humans have creative capacity. They just get kind of lazy at times. It's also true that there are a few gifted folks who don't have to put forth much effort to be creative; they come by it naturally. Some of you may be in this group, and yes, we hate you.

Wherever you land on the creative meter, I'm going to share some ideas that can keep you in the brilliant, creative zone. Some of these ideas are culled from my own experience, some are from other pals of mine who are creativity thought leaders, and some I simply made up because I can—I'm creative.

Free A to Z Creativity Ezine

Karen Post, a.k.a. The Branding Diva®, is an international authority on branding, marketing, and entrepreneurial matters. She is co-founder and CEO of Oddpodz.com, an idea engine for creative professionals and business.

Need more creativity-promoting ideas? Become a member of Oddpodz.com and get your FREE A to Z Creativity ezine, 26 ways to more ideas.

Five Ways to Pump Up Your Creative Muscle

1.     Back into the problem.

Whatever you're working on, instead of thinking about the challenge as a big overwhelming project, start with your end goal first. From here section off the desired outcomes into small pieces that, combined, could be the ultimate solution.

2.     Work in three-part timed capsules.

If I chunk out eight hours on one project, I spend 95 percent of the time thinking, procrastinating, and then feeling stressed. Not good. Instead, I've learned, block out a maximum of three hours at a time on a project, broken down like this: one hour thinking, one hour downloading or writing down your ideas, and the last hour tightening or connecting the different dots. By scheduling these sessions, you'll be more productive, and get to your deadline faster.

3.     Exercise your mind just like you exercise your body.

Work both sides of your brain. If you are a fluid writer, spend some time drawing and visualizing your ideas. If you are already visual, try crossword or number puzzles. Then, practice thinking with flexibility. See how many four-word sentences you can craft. Take a set of words (or use your own, just follow the type of word and quantity) like:

I     apricots     frogs     enjoy     don't     irritated     eagerly     anger

4.     Pig out on new brain food.

Expand your idea simulation bank with obscure publications, movies and places. Start by going to a magazine or bookstore, then pick up five or six publications not related to your industry or creative challenge. You will be pleasantly surprised at the abundance of new things you will see that you can apply to your situation. The same goes for places to visit: Try a flea market, a comedy show, a circus or a specialty store for something that is not directly related to your creative challenge.

5.     Don't be a duke of habit.

Mix up your schedule. Change your routine. You will be amazed by what you see—lots of new landscapes and ideas. Do you go to the same coffeeshop to chill? Try one on the other side of town. Do you collaborate with the same folks when you brainstorm ideas? Try a new group of people at work, or kids, or folks with different lifestyles or interests.

Building creative muscle can be done. It just takes some discipline and work. Here are a few of my favorite books and tools on the subject.

Resources to Enhance Your Creativity

Creative work environments: Do you work in one?
Creative Block, by Lou Harry
A small square book packed with big ideas.

Creative Whack Pack®, by Roger Von Oech
A deck of 64 cards with ideas stimulating different ways to look at a challenge and find the solution.

Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity into a Powerful Business Advantage, by Pat Fallon and Fred Senn
A great read with lots of smart, inspirational thinking from two veteran ad guys.

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Karen Post, a.k.a. The Branding Diva®, is an international authority on branding, marketing, and entrepreneurial matters. She has been featured as a business expert in print publications and on TV, radio, and Web channels. Karen authored the best-selling book Brain Tattoos, Creating Unique Brands That Stick in Your Customers' Minds, and she is co-founder and CEO of Oddpodz.com, an idea engine for creative professionals and business. Her work has benefited large and small organizations in the United States and around the world. Need more creativity ideas? Check out Oddpodz.com and get your FREE A to Z Creativity ezine, 26 ways to more ideas. This downloadable book is a gift to all new community members.

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