Challenging Creative Stereotypes: A Workout Plan for Everyone
By: Elena Benítez
Ever since I was studying Design, I've grappled with the conventional perception of what it means to be creative. The image of the red-haired advertiser, defying norms in brainstorming sessions, has always been a stereotype that makes me uncomfortable. What if creativity goes beyond being disruptive or irreverent?
Creativity is the faculty of creating, however, I prefer to think of it as a tool for change. Creativity is not simply generating ideas for the sake of it, but modifying or creating something with a defined purpose.
In a world full of crises and systemic challenges, creativity becomes increasingly essential. Businesses reinvent themselves daily, technology advances by leaps and bounds, and innovations transform the way we do things. Creativity is our ally in this landscape of constant change.
The creative training plan
For those who don't identify with the rebel creative stereotype, here's a plan to train and sharpen creative ability:
1. Activate your critical thinking:
Critical thinking involves deeply questioning and analyzing situations, ideas, or problems. To activate this skill, it's important to ask fundamental questions like «Why are things this way?» and «How could they be different?» Returning to the curious mindset we had as children, where everything was a reason to ask questions, allows us to find areas of opportunity and challenge norms.
2. Lose the fear of making mistakes:
The fear of failure can be paralyzing and limit our creative capacity. Learning to accept and embrace mistakes as part of the learning process is essential. Often, the most innovative ideas arise from experimenting and taking risks to explore unknown territories.
3. Look for proven techniques for thinking outside the box:
There are numerous techniques and tools designed to stimulate creativity and lateral thinking. Exploring and experimenting with these tools can open up new perspectives and approaches to tackling problems. Here are some for you to try:
A. Enter the «Yes, and...» state: This technique comes from the world of theater improvisation and is based on the premise of accepting and building upon others' ideas. Instead of rejecting an idea, we accept it and add something new to it.
B. Imagine how a famous character would solve a problem: Adopt the perspective of a well-known character and think about how they would approach the problem in question. Each character has their own unique experiences, skills, and viewpoints, so thinking like Walt Disney is not the same as thinking like Elon Musk!
Write Non-Stop for 30 Minutes: This technique, known as free writing or automatic writing, consists of writing continuously without stopping for a set period of time, such as 30 minutes. The goal is to free the mind from self-imposed barriers and allow ideas to flow freely, even those that seem absurd or incoherent.
D. The SCAMPER technique is an acronym that represents seven ways to generate new ideas from an existing one: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse/Rearrange. This technique provides a structured framework for exploring different approaches and creative possibilities.
4. Remember to be humble, learn to receive feedback, and work in a team. Challenging your ideas with those of someone else helps to complement or confirm them, and to make them stronger.
5. Work in a team with people who are very different from you. Active listening is always a way to improve our own ideas. Don't fall into the folly of trying to defend or convince anyone how great your ideas are.
6. Measure how these ideas work and find feedback in the data, this always helps to find new ways to continue improving ideas and to have a more objective perspective over time.
Creativity is a skill we can all cultivate. I invite you to try these techniques in your personal and professional life, regardless of the nature of the challenge you face. Remember that creativity is like a muscle: the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.
Also remember that working on your ideas with a team of dedicated creative professionals often makes them flourish and yield better results. What do you say? Are you ready to train your creativity and challenge your limits? Gerund We can help you.
