Six ways to improve creative thinking

Few people seem to be genuinely creative at work. But to a large extent, is a skill that can be learned, It is also one of the hardest skills in the world to automate, which makes it a good way to future-proof your career.

Here are six ways to improve creative thinking.

1. Embrace 10x thinking

Aim for a revolutionary (10x) improvement on existing ideas, rather than an incremental (10%) improvement. It’s ten times as valuable, but rarely ten times as difficult.

Sometimes, 10x thinking can even be easier than 10% thinking.

Whereas 10% thinking often locks you into the same tools, processes and assumptions, 10x thinking frees you up to shoot for the stars.
It’s also a far less crowded space. 99.9% of people play the 10% game. Very few play the 10x game.
Besides, even you if eventually opt for incremental improvement, there is no harm in beginning your thinking by designing a 10x product, or experience, and paring back from there. This frees you up to think in as unconstrained a way as possible.

2. Spend time alone

Group brainstorms are the norm. But often our best thoughts come to us when we are alone and unhurried.

Isolation allows for deep, uninterrupted work. It stimulates risk taking, and encourages weird and wild ideas. It also acts as a counterforce to groupthink.

3. Cultivate safe team environments

The ratio of good ideas to bad ones is roughly constant. So it is vital to create an environment where people feel safe to put all their ideas on the table.

4. Dictate the desired outcome, but not the process

Feel free to dictate the outcome of any group brainstorm, but do not dictate the process for achieving this outcome. Simply paint the future-based scenario, and allow others the freedom to get there however they like.

5. Be unhurried

Factor slack into your day. Busyness is the death knell of creativity.

6. Be a bumble bee

Draw inspiration from a wide range of sources, and pollinate ideas between them.

Add value not only through expertise in a given field, but through a unique combination of ideas and networks.

Further reading:

The Hyper Island Toolbox, Hyper Island

The five keys to a successful Google team, Google re:Work

The Power of Introverts, Susan Cain

These Skills Make You Most Employable, 80,000 Hours

Bold, Peter Diamandis

Disconnect, Derek Sivers