David Kelley discusses how to build creative confidence by overcoming the belief that creativity is only for a select few. He cites research by psychologist Albert Bandura showing that overcoming fears in one domain can increase confidence in other areas. Kelley concludes that much of the design process involves reducing fear and increasing familiarity with creativity. Stories of a GE designer and Kelley's own cancer experience show that everyone is capable of creative problem solving when they regain their creative confidence.

1. HOW TO BUILD YOUR CREATIVE
CONFIDENCE: DAVID KELLEY

2. David Kelley gives an
example from childhood to
illustrate how creativity is
killed early on in life
Criticism was a big reason
why one of his school
friends stopped pursuing
creativity in his work

3. People are
often
uncomfortable
around
creativity

4. However,it is not a domain of a chosen few

5. Kelley set out to counter the
belief that creativity is not for
everyone

6. Albert Bandura, a Stanford
psychologist was his first stop
Bandura developed a step by
step process to help people
overcome their phobia of
snakes

7. Finding of this medical journey?
OVERCOMING FEAR IN ONE DOMAIN SUBSEQUENTLY
GAVE PEOPLE CONFIDENCE IN OTHER AREAS OF THEIR
LIVES, TOO

8. This is termed as “self-efficacy” by Bandura
This

9. Kelley concluded
that much of the
design process is
involved with
turning fear into
familiarity

10. At the D.School at Stanford, Kelley says he sees
people from all disciplines entering the program
and learning a singularly useful lesson: to consider
themselves as creative.

11. Finally David Kelley narrates two stories to show
that everyone and anyone can be creative
• The first story is of a friend and colleague, Doug Dietz, a designer at
General Electric who creates complex medical imaging equipment
• One day, Dietz saw a little girl crying, scared of the treatment she was
about to receive
• And whereas he’d once been proud of the lives he’d helped save,
now he was disappointed to realize the fear the machine caused

12. • So he turned the machine into
an adventure. The results were
dramatic: From 80% of kids who had
previously needed to be sedated, now
only 10% required anaesthetic
• Repeating a story that has by now
entered GE lore, Kelley recounts Dietz
waiting with a mother for her child to
come out of a scan. The little girl ran
up: “mommy? Can we go again
tomorrow?”

13. The second story is more personal to Kelley
• He tells us the story of his own recent dealings with hospitals,
diagnosed with cancer, he was given a less than 40% chance of
survival
• He started asking himself many questions like -‘am I going to survive?
What will my daughter’s life be like without me?’ But also other
things: ‘what’s my calling?’ ‘What was I put on earth to do?'”
• And it dawned on him. “The thing he most wanted to do was help
people regain the creative confidence they lost along the way. If he
survived, that’s what he wanted to do. And he survived

14. Takeaways from David Kelley
Don’t divide the world into “creative” and “non-creative,”
Let people realize they are
naturally creative.
“When people regain that confidence,
magic happens.
Let their ideas fly; let them achieve
what Bandura calls self-efficacy

15. Recap:
• People have a misconception that
creativity is for a few people
• If discouraged it puts people out of
their comfort zone when trying to
pursue creativity
• Overcoming fears can help one
become creative
• Everyone can be creative irrespective
of their profession
• Regaining such confidence can help
create magic

17. THANK
YOU

18. http://www.ted.com/talks/david_kelley_how_to_b
uild_your_creative_confidence?language=en

19. These slides were created by Mehandi Goel,IIM
Lucknow,as a part of the MBA course “Personal Branding”
(www.MBASkills.IN) taught by Prof. Sameer Mathur
Prof. Sameer Mathur
Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon
University)
Marketing Professor (IIM
Lucknow)
Mehandi Goel
IIM Lucknow
Batch of 2016