Creative Thinking

Creativity is defined as the creation of something new. Creative thinking on the other hand is cognitive processes or, the creation of ideas that transform our relationship with the world. Creative thought or ideation is often not wholly borne out of the new, more likely it is realising new connections between existing concepts. This puts creative thought into the minds of the many. We may not all be able to come up with the next best thing but at a basic level allowed the freedom, we can observe tasks we perform daily and think of ways to do them better.

In a structured business environment which is task focused, risk taking, impulsivity and independence are feared and often shunned thereby inhibiting creative thought. Fostering an environment which gives possibility for and rewards spontaneity and improvisation is imperative to creative thinking. Furthermore, processes that allow the assessment, innovation and realisation of creative thought into practise are important to fostering a sustained creative environment where effective ideas are propagated.

On the flip side, to avoid chaos, creative thought must be balanced with the preservation of existing known process and structure. To be effective, therefore, it must be founded on shared vision.

Team building exercises that demand critical thinking and problem solving in an environment that transcends traditional workplace boundaries are proven to be beneficial in fostering creative thinking. In order for a team to successfully achieve a goal, like constructing an F1 racing car from cardboard within a structured framework of guidelines, teams are given the space and freedom to come up with novel ideas and solutions to questions and challenges to achieve their aim in the best way possible.