Got Creativity? How Problem Solving Techniques Unleash Creative Genius In our modern innovation-oriented business world, the ability to think creatively is increasingly critical.Product development, business strategy, advertising, even sales methods all rely on creativity. And when it is time to get serious, those that are aware of and utilize the most efective problem solving techniques generate the most satisfying outcomes.However efficient creative thinking is not limited to those limited number of, naturally artistic individuals such as inventors, composers and playwrites. Actually, anyone can develop and very efficiently employ their innate creative problem solving expertise.It all begins with the right tools. There are a vast number of celebrated and proven effective problem solving techniques, brainstorming activities and creative thinking exercises. And in the following text, we'll expose you to two such techniques you may begin utilizing tomorrow. In case you are like most, you will see that you're quickly capable of start generating more, top quality ideas in no time - no matter what your challenge. problem solving techniques such as these are extremely flexible, and adapted for any task.Now it's time to put on your creative problem solving thinking cap.Making ConnectionsMost naturally creative individuals are very good at making sudden connections between two apparently different things. In other words, quickly recognizing a correlation between, say, a baby stroller and a tractor. And it is this very power of associative thinking that results in original,Oakley EK Signature Eyewear Cheap, innovative ideas.One particularly effective problem solving technique to facilitate associative thinking is Mind Mapping. There is a vast amount written concerning the technique - so look it up!However for now, we are going to try an easy approach.When you get together with your staff to engage in brainstorming activities, attempt to boil down your challenge to a single word or quite simple concept. For example, if you worked for a pasta producer and were trying to create a brand new advertising campaign for spaghetti, you would possibly start with the word, "spaghetti."Ask everyone in the room to put in writing on a sheet of paper the FIRST concept that pops into their heads when they think of the word "spaghetti." Some folks may write, "Italy," or "meatballs." Others might write "hair" (since spaghetti resembles strands of hair) or "Mother" (because they're mom served wonderful pasta dishes).Then have the group cross their sheets to their left, read what their neighbor wrote, and repeat the process - write the first thing that comes to mind when reading the second thing on the page. Continue the process until everyone receives their original page.Have everyone read the most fascinating, provocative, weird or just shocking ideas on the list, and record them.You will have a wealth of new, artistic ASSOCIATIVE thinking to work with - a variety of directions to explore which might be related to, but totally different from, your original concept.Shifting PerspectiveWe all tend to view challenges from a very slender viewpoint - the one based on our own background, attitudes and knowledge.Most skillful creative geniuses, however, are capable of rapidly and easily alter viewpoint... to examine challenges from multiple viewpoints.A good way to help your workgroup do that more simply is to PROVIDE points-of-vice for them to take.A S.W.O.T. (Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) evaluation is a well-known example of a problem solving technique that focuses a team on completely different points-of-view. One other is Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats method. Look them up online to find out more.For our purposes, though, we will try S.W.O.T. On a whiteboard, blackboard or large easel pad, draw a big cross - creating four separate quadrants. In the upper left-side quadrant, write the phrase, "Strengths." In the upper right-hand quadrant, "Weaknesses." In the other two quadrants, "Opportunities" and "Threats."Now take your problem through each perspective, one at a time. To begin with, have the team ONLY focus on the strengths of your current situation. When you have run out of ideas there,Oakley Flak Jacket Sunglasses Cheap, move to weaknesses, then opportunities, then threats.Once complete, you'll have generated quite a few "pure" directions to contemplate in approaching your challenge - and by putting together parts from different perspectives (an opportunity that counteracts a weakness, for instance), you'll find you're able to develop new, innovative solutions.Sound easy? It is. But do not be fooled by the ease of these problem solving techniques. They are extremely efficient, and utilized each day by leading, innovative businesses.And don't fret if this all seems unusual or unfamiliar to you. Just give these and other problem solving techniques,Fake Oakley Polarized Sunglasses, creative thinking exercises and brainstorming activities a try, and see what happens. In no time, YOU and your group will be producing a continuous flow of game-changing concepts - to help your business acheive greater success!