Developing Creative Thinking

Health Reform Conference Kuwait March 2009

Presented by: Dr. Naji Bejjani

CREATIVE THINKING: WHAT IS IT?

Definitions
Creative Thinking is
Unconventional Thinking Merging of Ideas which Have Not Been Merged Before

Always new perspectives, and extending the frontiers of whats possible

Interesting Quotes
Every organization must be prepared to abandon everything it does to survive in the future
Prof. Peter F. Drucker

The problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them
Albert Einstein

Think Of The Possibilities

The average human being thinks of about 100 new ideas/day!!
If a team of 6 Nurses and Doctors Express All Their Ideas

After 2 days !!!1200 NEW IDEAS!!!

Creativity boosting techniques

Expertise

Creative Thinking skills

Creativity

Motivation

Creative Thinking skills

Lets start with the following premise:

Youre alive, Therefore youre creative.

Creative Thinking skills

Unconventional. Uninhibited. Risk-taker. Always looks for new patterns and new combinations. Inventive. Extremely curious. Driven. Visionary: Michelangelo looked at a large piece of marble
and decided to chip away at everything that wasn't David.

- ParticularIy intuitive. - Rather individualistic (unfortunately ).

Motivation to be creative
2 Motivations:

- External: expressing your new ideas

to others.

- Internal: Thinking of new ideas.

Barriers To Creativity

Motivation to be creative
Manage it by:

- Providing challenges: stretching peoples

skills in their jobs.

- Freedom to create: while clearly specifying

goals. This yields a very valuable sense ownership.

of

- Providing resources: mainly time

particularly time pressure - and money but never enough.

Creativity boosting techniques:

The most obvious ideas are often the most important ones, and, unfortunately, also the ones we are most unaware of.

Creativity boosting techniques:

Always Create F-teams (F = future) with your P-teams (P = present):

While the P-team deals with current work challenges, the Future team is literally always investigating and / or creating, the next future and preparing the institution for it.
Re: Ken Blanchard: Mission Possible- 1997.

 Brain Storming
The Classic Creative Methods for Groups

Mind Mapping
Hierarchal Breakdown and Exploration

 Absence Thinking
Thinking About What is Not There

Talk Streaming
Talking, Talking and Talking Until Unblocking

 Attribute Listing
Listing Attributes of Objects and then Challenging them.

Assumption Busting
Challenging Unconscious Assumptions

 Visioning
Creating a Motivating View of the Future

Wishing
Stating Ideas as Wishes to Expand Thinking

 Pausing
Think More Deeply for a Minute

Taking a Break
When Creativity is Fading

6 Thinking Hats
Prof. Edward de Bono:
Worlds leading authority in the field of creative and conceptual thinking Author of over 60 books translated to about 50 languages

Edward de Bonos Six Thinking Hats

Provides a framework for thinking:
Facts what do we already know? Emotions how do we feel about this? Caution, bad points Optimism, good points Creativity, new ideas Process thinking about thinking

Discipline

Critical Thinking

Creativity

Optimal Thinking

Positive Attitude

Have a very creative life

Naji Bejjani
Health Reform Conference Kuwait March 2009