The document discusses turning offices into creative communities or "orchestras" through developing employees' creative thinking abilities. It introduces the "Creative Solution Generating Process" which involves collecting a challenge, examining it, generating ideas using creative thinking tools, narrowing ideas down to the best one, and then gathering resources to implement it. A variety of creative thinking tools and techniques are presented, such as brainstorming, forced relationships, checklisting using SCAMPER, and divergent thinking exercises. The overall message is that offices can foster creativity by encouraging creative problem solving among employees.

4. Our Offices are Communities that Can Become Orchestras Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP

5. Our Offices are Communities that can Become Orchestras Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP C , r , e , 8 , n , g ! Capabilities

6. C , r , e , 8 , n , g ! Capabilities

7. C , r , e , 8 , n , g ! Capabilities Why do we need

8. 'Don't hire, promote own kind at expense of S'poreans'

9. Goals of this Session Help you accept . … that you are more creative than you may believe?

10. Goals of this Session Help you accept . … that ALL employees are and can become more creative than you may believe .

11. Goals of this Session . … to share a working system for developing Cre8ng Communities within your office or workplace.

12. Goals of this Session . … and to experiment with creative thinking techniques and a Creative Solution Generating Process.

14. Who Are You? See possibilities Self- knowledgeable Self-actualizing Self-disciplined Sense of destiny Sensitive Severely critical of… Specific interests Synthesize correctly Tolerant of ambiguity Adaptable Curious Divergent thinker Energetic Fantasize, able to Flexible thinker Fluent Future oriented Humor Idealistic Imaginative Independent Ingenious Learning, always Non-conforming Not motivated by money Observant, highly Open-ended Original - uniqueness Passionate about their work Perceive world differently Question asker Circle, check, mark all of the following traits that fit you now.

16. Let’s BREAK some Crayons

18. Team Builders Gordian Knot Ball Toss Scavenger Hunt Eyeballers™ Rope exercises Jigsaw puzzles Cartoon lines Name Game

19. __ jewelry __ tie tack __ fence __ art statue __ clean nails __ pipe cleaner __ gas appliance __ dwarf trombone cleaner __ anchor __ ammunition __ magnets __ sling shot __ bubble blower __ pin __ eyeglass frames __ zipper __ house wiring __ decoration __ plug puller __ corn skewers __ handles __ belt hanger __ swinging bridge __ jump rope __ bobby pin __ curler __ fork __ ear cleaner __ toothpick __ missile __ welding rod __ tie clip __ fish hook __ chain link __ cheese slicer __ tie wire During Workshops on Creative Thinking, participants were asked to come with ideas to improve, better use, or sell paper clips. Your task is to pick which of their ideas you think are creative. Work for three minutes. __ skewer __ stirrer __ needle __ toad stabber __ ladder __ hammock __ tire poker __ coat hanger __ hypo needle __ knitting needles __ eye scratcher __ sword __ paint stirrer __ flower holder __ picture hanger __ spring __ snowshoe __ lightning rod __ ice skate blade __ scrap iron __ ski pole __ toe brace __ tracer tool __ finger brace __ boot strap __ boot hook __ animal trap __ sled __ Christmas __ doll clothes ornaments hanger __ wind chime __ cigarette holder __ tinsel __ languages __ alphabets __ numbers __ hanging __ plant stake What is Creative?

20. What? Questions we ask…

21. What Else?

22. How? Questions we ask…

23. How Else? How Else?

24. w/Serious Mix Fun

25. creative people spend 20 minutes looking at a orange juice box because it says "concentrate."

26. Creativity is Your Choice Daily make the choice to be Creative in much to most of what you do.

27. Are you a Crayon Breaker?

28. What is it? What Might it be?

29. what is half of... 12

30. what is half of... 12 6 , 1 , 2 , 1 x 6 , 2 x 3 , 11:30 , 1/2 dozen

31. what is half of... 1 2 X II twe lve IIIIII IIIIII

32. Other uses for a... Brick

33. Other uses for a... Marbles

34. Creative Thinking Tools Forced Relationships Animal (a-z) Product

35. Creative Thinking Tools Idea Grid Bread Meat Top’g Veg Fruit Snack Dessert 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

36. 1. Play it safe 2. Know your limitations : pigeonhole yourself 3. It's just a job, keep your mouth shut 4. Show you're the smartest guy in the room, make skepticism your middle name 5. Be the tough guy, demand to see the data 6. Respect history, always give the past \ the benefit of the doubt 7. Stop the madness before it can get started

37. 1. Play it safe 2. Know your limitations : pigeonhole yourself 3. It's just a job, keep your mouth shut 4. Show you're the smartest guy in the room, make skepticism your middle name 5. Be the tough guy, demand to see the data 6. Respect history, always give the past \ the benefit of the doubt 7. Stop the madness before it can get started Uncreative

38. 8. Been there, done that. Use experience as a weapon 9. Keep your eyes closed... your mind too 10. Assume there is no problem 11. Underestimate your customers 12. Be a mentor, give sound advice to people who for you 13. Be suspicious of the "creatives" 14. When all else fails, act like a grown-up

39. 8. Been there, done that. Use experience as a weapon 9. Keep your eyes closed... your mind too 10. Assume there is no problem 11. Underestimate your customers 12. Be a mentor, give sound advice to people who for you 13. Be suspicious of the "creatives" 14. When all else fails, act like a grown-up Uncreative

40. http://www.cre8ng.com

41. What do You Need IDEAS for ?

43. = Divergent Thinking Tool Brainstorming Quantity breeds Quality Freewheeling of ideas Hitchhike/Combine Ideas No Judgement

44. = Divergent Thinking Tool Brainwriting Quantity breeds Quality Freewheeling of ideas Hitchhike/Combine Ideas No Judgement

45. = Divergent Thinking Tool Alphabetizing A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

46. S.C.A.M.P.E.R. CHECKLISTING S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is a form of CHECKLIST. A CHECKLLIST is a prepared list of words, verbs, questions that you can use that can spark new ideas, change your thinking or your point of view or even you mood and the direction your thinking at the moment and take you into many directions. S.C.A.M.P.E.R. was created by Bob Eberle, teacher/educational consultant in the 1970 s to teach the concept of CHECKLISTING to school children by using a memory device (acronym) that they could easily remember when they needed to generate new ideas or remember existing or past ideas. It is used as the foundation for Michael Michalko’s excellent Creative Thinking Tools book…THINKERTOYS. First Step Write out the word S.C.A.M.P.E.R. vertically on a piece of paper or on a flip chart/chalkboard or other surface that the group can see. Second Step Write out what the 7 letters stand for. Third Step Then use each of the 7 by asking questions using these verbs to improve/change/revise your challenge or problem to generate potential ideas and solutions. Fourth Step Read over the ideas you have produced and select the best To work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use. = S. = substitute C. = combine A. = adapt, adopt M. = minify, magnify P. = put to other uses E. = eliminate R. = reverse Divergent Thinking Tool

47. Forced Relationships This is an idea generating technique that appears in many books about creative thinking and creative thinking or innovation tools. First Step choose something totally unrelated to the problem or challenge You or your group are working on. Second Step List everything you or your group know about it. (Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?… physical, visual, tactile,…all senses, good and bad) Third Step List everything you or your group know about your problem or challenge. (WWWWWH…and using all the senses) Fourth Step Take items/details/aspects from the first list and FORCE FIT them to features Or details from the second list. Your goal is to see if the features from The randomly chosen, unrelated thing/animal sparks ideas for improving, Changing, correcting features of the problem. A traditional example or warm-up for doing this consists of… 1st. Ask the person or group to write everything they know about a canary (or a bird in their country. 2nd. Ask the person or group to write everything they know about the chair they are sitting in. 3rd. Then I ask them to combine (FORCE FIT or make a FORCED Relationship) one item from the canary list with The chair’s list with the goal to improve, change, correct the chair design or to generate ideas for designing the ultimate chair. Sample + = Feathers-Soft + chair is hard = make seat soft Yellow + chair is ship gray = add color Divergent Thinking Tool

48. S.P.R.E.A.D. ng S – Supporting P – Promoting R – Recognizing and Rewarding E – Encouraging and Educating A – Applying D – Developing C,r,E,8,N,G! Creative Solution Seeking Process C – Collect , choose your challenge to generate creative ideas for solutions r – read, reap, reorganize information about your challenge E – examine the information and various ways to look at your challenge and choose the one that best defines your challenge best 8 – generate ideas for your challenge using 8 different approaches, creative thinking tools and techniques N – Narrow down your many ideas into the best and narrow those down to one you are willing to commit to and/or are excited about G – Gather resources: human and other, generate a plan, schedule and GO FOR IT!

49. “ A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.”

53. UPPORTING S. P. R. E. A. D. S

54. ROMOTING S. P. R. E. A. D. P

55. ECOGNIZING REWARDING S. P. R. E. A. D. R

56. NCOURAGING EDUCATING S. P. R. E. A. D. E

57. PPLYING S. P. R. E. A. D. A

58. DEVELOPING S. P. R. E. A. D.

60. How do you Collect or Generate IDEAS ?

61. Creative Solution Generating Process

62. C – Collect , choose your challenge to generate creative ideas for solutions

63. r – read, reap, reorganize information about your challenge

64. E – Examine the information and various ways to look at your challenge and choose the one that best defines your challenge best

65. 8 – generate ideas for your challenge using 8 different approaches, creative thinking tools and techniques

66. N – Narrow down your many ideas into the best and narrow those down to one you are willing to commit to and/or are excited about

67. G – Gather resources: human and other, generate a plan, schedule and GO FOR IT!

68. C – Collect , choose your challenge to generate creative ideas for solutions r – read, reap, reorganize information about your challenge E – examine the information and various ways to look at your challenge and choose the one that best defines your challenge best 8 – generate ideas for your challenge using 8 different approaches, creative thinking tools and techniques N – Narrow down your many ideas into the best and narrow those down to one you are willing to commit to and/or are excited about G – Gather resources: human and other, generate a plan, schedule and GO FOR IT!

69. How will You Apply Your Ideas ?

70. Our Offices are Communities that Can Become Orchestras Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP