Creative Vs Methodological problem solving

There is a considerable debate and explanation of whether there can be a process for creative problem solving in contrast to methodological problem solving - Many believe creative problem solving is too creative to be reduced to a process. TRIZ enthusiasts differ here of course!

The new study provides an interesting verification of the difference between creative thinking and methodological problem solving. The Right brain is active more for creative thinking and also the diffused visual attention rather than the focussed attention on visual triggers. Very interesting indeed - if you are a good traffic navigator - and knows how to find a place in a crowded city you may be more methodical, while if you work on diffused visual inputs to imbibe a geography and use these for constructing or imagining your world - you may be more of a creative thinker.

The study however discovers another point - before the ideation process - what was the state of your mind - whether it was more right brained excited or left brain excited will impact how you solve the problem.

Well this confirms to a large extent the psychological inertia of core competence - we have been solving problems in a particular way through out our life - we will use the same thinking whatever be the problem. The engineering mind - always will reduce the problem into smaller more manageable problems while an artist will always try to construct patterns from observation.

Before the actual problem solving, I have found in my workshops as well, we need to prime the minds of the particpants into different methods by playing games or solving problems by different methods. Then the output of the workshop increases - better quantity and quality.

Am I an Office Clown?

This is a very nice question to ask? Am I an office clown - The article tells that office clown behaviour springs from a sense of insecurity and a craving for attention. The office clowns are liked by people but they reduce the productivity of the organization as they create non-seriousness about everything.

There are other forms that this insecurity gets reflected in the behaviour of the people - one they eat up the available bandwidth by talking endlessly about "I" "Me" or "I" disguised as "We" - the disguise cant hold on for long - everyone sees it is "I". "I" of the insecure person is very dangerous especially if the person is the boss -

Further our education system - trains us to speak more - group discussions - be there to expres your point of view - I am yet to find a teaching and training school that teaches "How to listen attentively, with empathy and with active triggers". Having had the good fortune to work with some great men in my professional life - I can vouch for the remarkable ability these people have to listen. This is an ability that makes them great - active listening - even clowns can transform themselves into active listening if use there humour as active triggers to extend the speakers talk or topic...This is not a difficult task for clowns if communicated properly - yet the insecurities need to be taken care of - then there is a behaviour that is naturally creative - Was Richard Feynman - the Nobel prize winning physicist - a clown? The creative clown needs to be distinguished from the pure attention seeking clown.

How to be a creative clown if you really are a clown - with disciplined listenin g capability - will make you achieve more? Are all the insecure clowns listening -