Growth Without The Groan: 5 strategies you can adopt that will equip you to change

Creativity is part of our everyday life, even if we are not aware of it. By using creative thinking we can find solutions to problems and unique ways of approaching business. We invited David Chislett from David Chislett Training, to share his 5 strategies to equip you to change by using creative thinking.

We are constantly challenged to change. Situations shift, technology becomes obsolete, people leave, exchange rates plummet. AS a result, WHAT we are doing and HOW we do it must change.

Change is the process of finding new answers to existing questions: new processes, new products, new teams, new motivations. And all new things are the end product of creative thinking. The exponential rate of technological change has put humanity into a state of continuous learning, and we could all do it just that little bit better.

There are 5 strategies you can adopt that will equip you to change better, faster and with greater comfort.

Uncertainty is where the next big ideas live and the better you are at navigating uncertainty, the better you will become at changing and thriving.

Remember that changing doesn’t involve leaving any of you behind. It’s about adding to, adapting, building upon… not abandoning, rejecting or deserting.

Stop Judging

Without our judgement, we would not be able to tell good from bad. But all too often, we do not have enough information to judge, but we do it anyway. Learn to suspend your judgement and allow matters to unfold and answers to emerge in time. Judgement is what kills new ideas before they are formed, before their use has become apparent. Wait, observe, participate. Don’t judge.

Collect Dots

Specialists know an awful lot about a very small area and what they know means very little to the rest of the world. Avoid your answers becoming so specialised by reading outside of your industry or discipline. Befriend people from other types of work, social classes, cities, countries, language groups. Network in another industry, read up on their technology developments. When you have a broad array of dots, you will start to see connections others cannot.

Make Time

New ideas and solutions to your problems do not just magically appear. You need to make time to spend effort and resources on solving them. Build innovation, change and growth into your weekly schedule so that you are always spending some time looking ahead, solving ahead. This way you can start to get ahead of the curve of impending change and become an agent of change instead of a victim.

Use Structure

Spending 60% of your working day on tasks that do not move you forward is a waste of time. Identify the real goals behind what you are doing and expend your best energy on the most important tasks. Admin can be done when you are at 33%. Problem-solving requires your best self, so make sure you have it available by identifying and prioritising your days.

Do Nothing

If you are 24/7 always-on, you leave no room for the power of your unconscious mind to manifest itself. Make sure that you have time to get bored, to daydream, to take long walks, have random conversations and wander off with the fairies. It is in these times that the long and slow processing of the unconscious drops its ‘Aha’ bombs into our conscious thought. When you think fast and rationally, you turn in the same circles over and over, repeating patterns. It is unconscious thought that uses the vast resources of your whole brain to REALLY come up with good ideas. Make space for it to express itself by doing nothing.

If you make your living from ideas, solve problems, improve processes, generate solutions, connect the dots for people or find ways to hit new markets: YOU are creative.

Turbocharge your life by embracing that fact and nurture your creative capacity with the steps above. Creativity is not magic, but it needs time and space to show up. Make that space and hold it. Over time, you WILL have more magic in your life.

This article is a collaboration between Veronica Guguian, marketing strategist and founder of Spin Ideas and David Chislett from David Chislett Traininig, published author, poet, musician, artist and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience.

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