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3 Clever Creative Strategies!
I've got a confession to make... there are many ways leaders can be more creative, innovative and ingenious than are presented in this article. It does not matter if you desire to be a marketing, entrepreneurial or organizational leader, you do have to use your creativity to be successful. Most leaders have trouble discovering new opportunities, generating good ideas and promoting innovative solutions. In the game of creativity, you need both quality and quantity to win the prize. I'll show you how to use 3 simple ways to boost the number, power and value of your ideas. All you need to do is learn them, practice them and make them the most used tools in your personal leadership-toolkit. Create It This Way! Map It Out, Map It All! Want a way out of that mental block or trap? Don't look for some guidebook, create yourself a map and follow it out of your troubles instead. How do you draw a map to find new ideas, opportunities or create inventions? It's easy, all you need is a place to start! And like Dorothy learned in the Land of Oz, you always begin at the beginning. Do you have a problem you're trying to solve? Do you have an unmet need? Do you want to search for something? Do you suspect something is missing or something is out of place or something is more than what is needed? Use those questions to define your map's point of origin. Place that starting point in the center of the paper and then draw lines to any related problems or missing items. Once you identify your problems, needs, missing pieces or suspicions and connect them in some logical order [by putting your worse problems at the bottom of the page and easier ones on the top] - then you can do the following: => List possible ways to find solutions => Draw lines to groups or people who can help you solve the problem => Use different shapes to show problems, solutions and key people or tools => Color your problems and their related solutions with the same colors [use red for the main problem and its solution, but use green for another problem and its solution] => Include push pins, sticky notes, stars or artwork when possible to add vitality, depth and substance to your map Create It That Way! Ask and Answer It Quickly! 1) What is the situation, what is happening or going on here? 2) What are the problems, difficulties or challenges? 3) How do those problems impact, affect or influence the situation? 4) What good will the solutions to those problems need to do, provide or fix? Ask those 4 questions and always ask 'why' at least 5 times for each answer and you will find tons of beneficial solutions. Create It Anyway! Bend It, Shape It, Anyway You Want It! So you tried mapping, drawing, picturing and asking or answering it and you still aren't getting any great ideas, are you? Well here are some last chances for you - just re-arrange it, combine it with its own or different parts, mix-it-all-around, shuffle it, remove parts of it, throw it at the walls, step into the middle of it, step away from it, turn it upside down or inside out or round and round, talk about it with others or even yourself, meditate on and pray about it. Whatever you do, do not let it just sit there without making some effort to move it or yourself. ------------------------------------------------------------ Even though these seem a bit lightweight, they are the most powerful ways known to mankind for solving problems, finding ideas and opportunities and for creating useful inventions. When you use these techniques, you will be employing the secrets of history's greatest inventive minds like Edison, Newton, Copernicus, Jesus Christ, Marie Curie, Franklin and Einstein. You can do this, it takes only a few moments a day to master them and then you will find yourself lighting-up the world with your bright and valuable ideas. Necessity is and always will be the Mother of invention. Make your Momma proud by using these methods whenever you have the need to bring meaningful contributions to our lives! Copyright © 2004, Mustard Seed Investments Inc., All rights reserved. ------------------------------------------------------------ ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bill Thomas publishes "Your Leadership UltraNet!" - a Hands-On, Affordable, Performance Improvement Program, featuring web-based ULTRA-Powerful Training courses, coaching & mentoring support plus follow-ups GUARANTEED to energize, empower, enhance your leadership results. All-the-Tools-You-Need-to-Lead-&-Succeed! http://www.leadership-toolkit.com/skills.html ------------------------------------------------------------
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