honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Monday, May 28, 2001

60 Seconds on Business
Thinking creatively helps in business

By Dr. Drake Beil
President, Solutions Inc.

Did anyone ever teach you how to think? In all of the years you had in school, did anyone ever say here are the elements of creative thinking?

Probably not. But these are some of the most important things you can learn to help you succeed in business situations daily.

There are several keys to creative thinking. One is flexibility. That's the ability to see things in more than one way. Instead of carrying the tire, you roll it. Instead of blaming a co-worker, you thank the customer for telling you about their problem. It's the skill of rearranging the facts, restructuring your approach with an open mind, and staying open in your perceptions. For flexibility, ask the key question: What else? What else can cause this? What else can fix this? What else is involved?

Another key is fluency. This doesn't mean speaking several languages, but rather asking the question: "How many?" How many ways can we do this? How many approaches are there? How many alternatives can we develop before committing to a course of action?

Put another way, if you have a business problem, and there are 10 ways to solve it, what if you can only think of one or two?

What are your odds of coming up with the best, most cost-effective approach? Keep that in mind as you approach your next business decision.

Dr. Drake Beil can be reached at drake@60secondsonbusiness.