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3 Clever Creative Strategies!
I've got a confession to make... there are many waysleaders can be more creative, innovative and ingenious thanare presented in this article. It does not matter if you desire to be a marketing,entrepreneurial or organizational leader, you do have to useyour creativity to be successful. Most leaders have trouble discovering new opportunities,generating good ideas and promoting innovative solutions. Inthe game of creativity, you need both quality and quantityto 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 learnthem, practice them and make them the most used tools inyour 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 forsome guidebook, create yourself a map and follow it out ofyour troubles instead. How do you draw a map to find new ideas, opportunities orcreate inventions? It's easy, all you need is a place tostart! And like Dorothy learned in the Land of Oz, youalways begin at the beginning. Do you have a problem you're trying to solve? Do you have anunmet need? Do you want to search for something? Do yoususpect something is missing or something is out of place orsomething 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 andthen draw lines to any related problems or missing items. Once you identify your problems, needs, missing pieces orsuspicions and connect them in some logical order [byputting your worse problems at the bottom of the page andeasier 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 solvethe problem => Use different shapes to show problems, solutions and keypeople or tools => Color your problems and their related solutions with thesame 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 whenpossible 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 onhere? 2) What are the problems, difficulties or challenges? 3) How do those problems impact, affect or influence thesituation? 4) What good will the solutions to those problems need todo, provide or fix? Ask those 4 questions and always ask 'why' at least 5 timesfor each answer and you will find tons of beneficialsolutions. Create It Anyway! Bend It, Shape It, Anyway You Want It! So you tried mapping, drawing, picturing and asking oranswering it and you still aren't getting any great ideas,are you? Well here are some last chances for you - just re-arrangeit, combine it with its own or different parts,mix-it-all-around, shuffle it, remove parts of it, throw itat the walls, step into the middle of it, step away from it,turn it upside down or inside out or round and round, talkabout it with others or even yourself, meditate on and prayabout it. Whatever you do, do not let it just sit there without makingsome effort to move it or yourself. ------------------------------------------------------------ Even though these seem a bit lightweight, they are the mostpowerful ways known to mankind for solving problems, findingideas and opportunities and for creating useful inventions. When you use these techniques, you will be employing thesecrets of history's greatest inventive minds like Edison,Newton, Copernicus, Jesus Christ, Marie Curie, Franklin andEinstein. You can do this, it takes only a few moments a day to masterthem and then you will find yourself lighting-up the worldwith your bright and valuable ideas. Necessity is and always will be the Mother of invention.Make your Momma proud by using these methods whenever youhave the need to bring meaningful contributions to ourlives! Copyright © 2004, Mustard Seed Investments Inc., All rights reserved. ------------------------------------------------------------ ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bill Thomas publishes "Your Leadership UltraNet!" - aHands-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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