Creativity and problem solving

Using conscious and subconscious mind

Prof. Lakshman Madurasinghe, PhD

Consultant Psychologist; Attorney
The need for a holistic Model of
Excellence
Disciplined study
IQ Self awareness
Creativity
Teaching and doing

EQ
EMOTIONA
PQ
L
HOLISTIC Physical
QUOTIENT
MODEL Quotient
Self awareness
And self control Nutrition
Motivation Exercise
Empathy Relaxation
Social skills SQ Integrity Stress Mgt
SPIRITUAL Vision
QUOTIENT Meaning
 The essence of
productivity improvement
is working ------> more
intelligently , not harder

10/03/08 3
 Brain Re-engineering

10/03/08 4
 Varying brain speed

10/03/08 5
HOW BRAIN WAVES INFLUENCE DECISIONS

Alpha: Beta and Theta

What is the advertisement I am

watching 40 HZ
BETA

Why am I watching this advert

16-24 HZ

How should I use this info for my benefit

8-12 HZ
10/03/08 6
ALPHA
 Is there a difference between
Creativity and Innovation ?

10/03/08 7
 Creativity- New ideas,
originality

Innovation- takes the new

idea through to a satisfied
customer

10/03/08 8
 Creativity & Intelligence often
go together but a creative
person need not necessarily
be highly intelligent

10/03/08 9
 Therefore innovation ought to
be an essential part of one’s
business strategy

10/03/08 10
 Creativity Killers

 Can’t be done.  Let’s form a

 Never done it. committee.
 Anyone else tried it?  Will not work in
 Costs too much. our department/
 Isn’t in the budget. company/
industry.

10/03/08 11
 Spect Analysis- use of full
brain

10/03/08 12
 CREATIVE THINKING
1. Random input; word, pictures and apply to
problem at hand- LATERAL

2. Problem reversal; LATERAL- define what it is

not, state problem in reverse, change positive to
negative.
how would I reduce customer sales at Coke?-
3.What ifs
4.W’s

10/03/08 13
 CREATIVE THINKING
5. Reframing- Product, Planning,
Potential,People

6. Ideatoons- symbols

7. Six hats

8. Concept maps

9. Mind maps

10. Lateral thinking

10/03/08 14
 CREATIVE THINKING
11. Brain storming

12. Provocation- Houses should not have

roofs

13.Concept fan

14. SCAMPER

10/03/08 15
 Decision-Making Styles

Reflexive

Reflective

Consistent

10/03/08 16
 Reflexive Style
 Makes quick
decisions (shooting
from hip) without
taking time to
gather all
information needed
or considering all
alternatives.

10/03/08 17
 Reflective Style
Takes plenty
of time to
make
decisions,
gathering and
analyzing
several
alternatives

10/03/08 18
 Consistent Style

Makes
decision
without
rushing or
wasting
time.
10/03/08 19
 Lateral Thinking

10/03/08 20
 The Basics Behind
Lateral Thinking
● We are hardwired to be UN-creative.

● We need formal tools for breaking out of

patterned thinking.

● Everyone can learn how to be more creative

● Lateral Thinking gives you the power to

create ideas on demand

10/03/08
21
 Suggest Lateral
Thinking If You Hear…

any of these
seven common comments

10/03/08
22
 Because Lateral
Thinking Will

Give managers the tools to

encourage and reward the
creative EFFORT that must
become a habit before you can
get consistently innovative
results.

Give employees the tools to assess

and improve ideas before
10/03/08
23
 Suggest Lateral
Thinking If You Hear…
2. Creative people are a
nuisance. They’re always
getting out of line.

10/03/08
24
 Because Lateral
Thinking Will
Teach managers how to perceive
creative intrusions as a valuable
tool for checking blind spots and
biases. Creative ideas are often
jarring.

Give collaborative employees the

tools to generate creative ideas
on demand. You do not have to
rely on a flock of born rebels 25
10/03/08 to
 Suggest Lateral
Thinking If You Hear…
3. We don’t have time to go
through all that trial and
error.

10/03/08
26
 Because Lateral
Thinking Will

Teach managers to be alert for new

opportunities at every stage as
ideas are explored.

Give employees tools that speed up

the innovation process.

10/03/08
27
 Suggest Lateral
Thinking If You Hear…
4. Creative people are so off-the-
wall. Their ideas are never
feasible.

10/03/08
28
 Because Lateral
Thinking Will
Give everyone the tools of
provocation and movement so
they know how to get value from
initially unworkable ideas.

Teach everyone how to harvest,

tailor, and shape ideas to make
them more practical.

10/03/08
29
 Suggest Lateral
Thinking If You Hear…
5. This company doesn’t see
mistakes as progress. We quit too
soon.

10/03/08
30
 Because Lateral
Thinking Will
Give everyone tools to assess and
minimize risk.

Teach everyone how to perceive

failures as necessary steps in the
creative process.

Enable everyone to learn from their

mistakes.
10/03/08
31
 Suggest Lateral
Thinking If You Hear…
6. We don’t know what to be
creative about.

10/03/08
32
 Suggest Lateral
Thinking If You Hear…
7. We don’t need new ideas. We’re
already aligned about what we’re
doing/where we’re going/how to
get there.

10/03/08
33
 Because Lateral
Thinking Will

Teach everyone the absolute

necessity of applying the creative
process continuously to every
strategy, process, assumption,
product, and practice, in our
rapidly changing world.

10/03/08
34
 Lateral Thinking:
Four Step Process
Edward de Bono’s
Creative Thinking Process

GET STARTED

10/03/08
35
 Characteristics o f L ateral Ver sus
Ver tic al T hinkin g

LATERAL THINKING VERTICAL THINKING

 Tries to find
 Fi nds new w ays t o
view things; absol utes;
concer ned wi th
concer ned wi th sta bi lity.
change and mo vement. 
Seeks jus ti fica tion
 Looks f or w ha t is for eac h step; tr ies
di f fer ent r ather than to find wha t is
“ri ght” or “wr ong. ” “r ight. ”
 Anal yz es ideas to  Anal yz es ideas for

gener ate new ideas. fault s.

 Seeks conti nui ty.
 Uses fr ee as soci ation 36
10/03/08  Sel ecti vel y chooses
 Usef ul La ter al T hi nkin g
Tec hniques

 Rever sal tec hnique

 Examining a pr oblem an d tur ning it
completel y ar ound, inside out, or upside
do wn
 Anal og y tec hni que
 De veloping a sta tement a bout similarit ies
betw een obje cts, per sons, and situa tions
 Cr oss- fer til izati on tec hni que
 Asking e xper ts fr om other fields t o
examine the pr oblem and s ug gest
10/03/08solutions fr om their o wn ar eas o f 37
 Lateral thinking….

A man walks into a bar and

asks the barman for a glass of
water. The barman pulls out a
gun and points it at the man.
The man says 'Thank you' and
walks out.

What happened ? – 5 MINUTES

10/03/08
38
 Who,What,Where,When,Why
,How
1. How can these questions help you in
problem solving and innovation ?
2. Which set of questions do you find
yourself using most often ?
3. Which question is the most thought-
provoking ?
4. What other useful questions have you
heard that should be added to the list ?

10/03/08 39
 Creativity….

Examining our habits

10/03/08 40
 Creativity….

Habit
Make use of chance
intrusions
Shower etc…..

10/03/08 41
 Creativity….

 The intuitive mind is a sacred gift

 and the rational mind is a faithful
 servant. We have created a society
 that honours the servant and has
 forgotten the gift.

 Einstein

10/03/08 42
 Creativity….Intuition

On a piece of paper write down what you

believe will be the outcome of a problem
situation facing you next week.

Look at the paper once it happens

5 mts

10/03/08 43
 Creativity….

Habit
Suspending judgment

Don’t criticize your own ideas too

prematurely

10/03/08 44
 Creativity….

Habit
Tolerating ambiguity

To develop a complete mind study the

art of science and the science of
art….

10/03/08 45
 Creativity….

Value of quiet time

“ CREATIVE PAUSE”

10/03/08 46
 Creativity….

Look

Listen

Touch

Taste

Smell

10/03/08 47
 Creativity….

1. Sculpt

2. Characters

3. Metaphors

10/03/08 48
 Creativity….

1. Sculpt

Seated on the boat: place etc etc

I felt nervous so I am sitting on the

edge

I am lying around feeling relaxed

10/03/08 49
 Creativity….

2. Characters

Look at the problem

Give them some characters: Henry V111

The Queen, Uri Geller, Accountant,
Doctor, Monk etc

10/03/08 50
 Creativity….
2. Characters

How to get the team as a whole to share

knowledge and skills

A monk
A zookeeper
An artist
A bus driver

10/03/08 51
 Creativity….
3. Metaphor

Describe consultancy as a pot of yoghurt

10/03/08 52
 Creativity….
3. Metaphor

It comes in different flavours

It goes off
Some people don’t like it
You don’t always feel like eating it
You can add it to cooking to create a dish

10/03/08 53
 Creativity….
Random word

Open a dictionary or a newspaper at random and choose

a word or image. What light does this shed on the
situation.

10/03/08 54
 Stages of the Creative Process

Preparation

Verification Concentration

Illumination Incubation

10/03/08 55
 Mind Mapping

10/03/08 56
 What is mind mapping?
 Developed in the 1960s by Tony Buzan to help
students make notes by using keywords and
images.

 Non-linear thinking and associative memory

 Visual brainstorming tool.

 Use connections between keywords to map

knowledge to help improve understanding and
recall.

 Aids high level and critical thinking.

10/03/08 57
 What’s it used for?
 Organising thoughts and ideas

 Reading papers

 Lecture notes

 Writing

 Knowledge bases

 Problem solving

10/03/08 58
 How to do a Mind Map
 Start with main idea at the centre of the page.

 Think quickly and non-linearly

 Use keywords

 Point out relationships between concepts with

lines.

 Colour-code related concepts.

 Use images

10/03/08 59
 Foundations

 Brainstorming is the first step towards

Mind Mapping
 Brainstorming is a way of finding simple
associations between things.
 However, brainstorming exercises are
different from Mind Maps in that they are
often two-dimensional and monotone.

10/03/08 60
 Foundations

 A central image should form the basis of

your Mind Map.
 Images are more evocative than words.
 They often trigger associations more
readily.
 This means they are better to enhancing
thinking and creativity.

10/03/08 61
 Sample Maps: Lecture notes

10/03/08 62
 Foundations

 I also shows that it is ludicrous that over

95% of note-taking/making is done
without the benefit of images.

10/03/08 63
 Foundations

 What if I can’t draw or my drawing is

bad?
 Anyone can learn to draw!
 The key is to practise…

10/03/08 64
 Foundations
 ‘The reason why so many people
assume they are incapable of of creating
images is that, instead of understanding
that the brain always succeeds
through continued experimentation,
they mistake initial failure for
fundamental incapacity and as its true
measure of their talent.’ (Buzan)

10/03/08 65
 Brainstorming to Mind
Mapping
 From your central image you should
radiate Key Words
 Key Words should be PRINTED on
curved lines flowing from the central
image. These lines should be the same
length as the words.
 By printing them you naturally
EMPHASISE THEM.

10/03/08 66
 Brainstorming to Mind
Mapping
 Key words should be basic ordering
ideas (or key concepts) and from these
concepts associated ideas should flow.
 Words radiate their own associations
 E.g. Dog, bone, cat…
 What did you think of next?
 Your next thought is an example of an
association

10/03/08 67
 Brainstorming to Mind
Mapping
 If you find it difficult  What are the most
important seven
working out what categories in the area
your key ideas are under consideration?
then try answering  What are my basic
the following questions? ‘Why?’,
‘What?’,‘Where?’,’Who?,
questions: ‘How?’,‘Which?’,’When?’
often serve as major
branches in a Mind Map.

10/03/08 68
 Brainstorming to Mind
Mapping
 If you find yourself having a ‘mental
block’ then try adding blank lines to the
key words Mind Map.
 ‘[The brain] will almost instantaneously
find associations, especially when given
the trigger of additional stimulus.’ (Buzan)

10/03/08 69
 Sample Maps: Writing

10/03/08 70
 Sample Maps: CV

10/03/08 71
 BRAIN WRITING

10/03/08 72
 Mind Mapping….

How to protect and improve tourism in

Sri Lanka in the light of a “ BIRD FLU”
pandemic

GROUP ACTIVITY
30 MINUTES

10/03/08 73
 Use of sound
Baroque- Vivaldi 4
seasons

10/03/08 74
 The Princess and the
Peasant- Group Activity-
10 mts

10/03/08 75
10/03/08 76
 Use of colour

Yellow- inspiration , power of

mind, bright ideas, joy,
laughter

Green- balance, harmony,

calmness , bridge between
emotions and higher reasons,
decision making, flowing with
life

Blue- Creativity, teaching

10/03/08 77
 Use of colour

Violet- Wisdom

Pink- Warmth , tenderness, all

is well

Golden- Brilliance, higher

creativity

Red- Anger, fear, raw power,

strength to be well, fire
10/03/08 78
 Creative thinking- Walt Disney w

10/03/08 79
reative thinking- Walt Disney way

Master in his field but sometimes

appeared to be in a dream , at other
times pragmatic, suddenly critical….

10/03/08 80
 Creative thinking- Walt
Disney way

The Four Character states

10/03/08 81
reative thinking- Walt Disney way

The Dreamer

Able to fantasize, pure

creativity with no boundaries….
” what if………..”

10/03/08 82
reative thinking- Walt Disney way

The Realist

Able to realistically implement

a plan

“ As if…….”

10/03/08 83
eative thinking- Walt Disney way

The Critic

Able to constructively criticize a

plan, identifying any flaws that
would prevent it from working

10/03/08 84
reative thinking- Walt Disney way

The Impartial

Able to stand back and take a

detached view of a situation

10/03/08 85
 Creative thinking- Walt
Disney way

As a group select a work

related problem and use Walt
Disney method to find a
solution

15 mts
10/03/08 86
 Creative thinking example- 10 mts

Three women each have two

daughters, and they all go into a
restaurant for a meal.There are only
seven vacant seats in the
restaurant, but each has a seat to
herself.

How did they manage it ?

10/03/08 87
10/03/08 88
10/03/08 89
10/03/08 90
10/03/08 91
10/03/08 92
10/03/08 93
10/03/08 94
 GOLD

10/03/08 95
10/03/08 96
10/03/08 97
 Blue Hat
Managing The Thinking
Setting The Focus
Making Summaries
Overviews • Conclusions
White Hat Action Plans Black Hat
Information & Data Why It May Not Work
Neutral & Objective Cautions • Dangers
Checked & Believed Facts Problems • Faults
Missing Information & Logical Reasons
Where To Source It Must Be Given

FOCUS

Yellow Hat Red Hat

Why It May Work Feelings & Intuition
Values & Benefits Emotions Or Hunches
(Both Known & Potential) “At This Point”
The Good In It No Reasons or Justification
Logical Reasons Keep It Short
Must Be Given Green Hat
Creative Thinking
Possibilities • Alternatives
New Ideas • New Concepts
Overcome Black Hat
Problems & Reinforce Yellow
Hat Values
98
 GOLD
Blue Hat Overall quality
Managing The Thinking check against values
Setting The Focus
Making Summaries
Overviews • Conclusions
White Hat Action Plans Black Hat
Information & Data Why It May Not Work
Neutral & Objective Cautions • Dangers
Checked & Believed Facts Problems • Faults
Missing Information & Logical Reasons
Where To Source It Must Be Given

FOCUS

Yellow Hat Red Hat

Why It May Work Feelings & Intuition
Values & Benefits Emotions Or Hunches
(Both Known & Potential) “At This Point”
The Good In It No Reasons or Justification
Logical Reasons Keep It Short
Must Be Given Green Hat
Creative Thinking
Possibilities • Alternatives
New Ideas • New Concepts
Overcome Black Hat
Problems & Reinforce Yellow
Hat Values
99
 Thinking hats

Are arranged marriages better

than love marriages

GROUP ACTIVITY
20 MINUTES

10/03/08 100
 Lateral thinking….

A man was walking downstairs in a

building when he suddenly realized
that his wife had just died. How?

10/03/08 101
 Thinking hats

How could we capture a greater

market share for Coke ?

GROUP ACTIVITY
30 MINUTES

10/03/08 102
 Creativity

Pareto Analysis

10/03/08 103
 By doing 20 % of work you can generate
80 % of the advantage of doing the entire
job.

80 % Sales to 20 % customers

80 % taxes by 20 % population

10/03/08 104
 Creativity

How Pareto analysis

ne

10/03/08 105
 An analysis of missing doses
in clinic

10/03/08 106
10/03/08 107
 Creativity

Concept fans- discuss with

group

10/03/08 108
 What did we cover today

Brain re-engineering
Creativity killers
Lateral thinking
Sculpt, character,metaphor
Mind maps
Walt Disney
Thinking hats
Pareto
10/03/08 109
 Creativity

Brain Storming

10/03/08 110
 Brainstorming

The process
of suggesting
many
possible
alternatives
without
evaluation.
10/03/08 111
 Helps generate many radical ideas

Ideas must be broad and odd as possible

Should be developed fast

No criticism of ideas

Ideas should be evaluated once session is over

10/03/08 112
 What are the ways in which we can
have a more inspired workforce
that would do the best they can at
Coke ?

GROUP ACTIVITY 25 MTS

10/03/08 113
 Creativity

Grid Analysis

10/03/08 114
Making a choice where many factors must
be balanced.

It is most effective where a number of good

alternatives are taken into account

10/03/08 115
First list the options and then factors that are
important

Next work out relative importance of factors

10/03/08 116
 COMPLETE THE TABLE GIVEN
15 MTS

10/03/08 117
 NLP

10/03/08 118
 Neuro

Thinking patterns that make

up the mental aspect of our
strategies:

To see ourselves as in a movie

Hear encouraging internal voice to
do well
Steady confident feeling in
10/03/08 119
 Linguistic

The way we use language

both internally and with
others

Regular word we use:

Also
10/03/08
“ why not” vs “ what would 120
 Programming

Mental and behavioural

codes that run or lives

Stubbornness vs letting go

10/03/08 121
 Using Anchors

10/03/08 122
 Helps you to be the person you
want to be at any time…..

Pavlov….

10/03/08 123
 Naturally occurring anchors

10/03/08 124
 Anchor prompts activity

10/03/08 125
 Invent a new type of toy for busy
managers

15 mts

10/03/08 126
 NAC steps

10/03/08 127
  1) Know What You Want.

 2) Know What is Preventing You From Getting What You

Want.(pain/pleasure)

 3) Interrupt that Pattern or Break the Old Behavior.

 4) Choose and Install the New Behavior or Pattern You Want.

 5) Condition Yourself for the New Behavior or Pattern.

 6) Do an Ecology Test for the New Behavior to See If You

Have Successfully Installed and Conditioned It To Be Your
New Automatic Response

10/03/08 128
 OTHER TECHNIQUES

Tree map
Force field analysis
Fishbone Importance analysis
Consequence map
Multiple regression

10/03/08
129
 Decision Trees

●A diagram of
alternatives.
The
diagram
gives a
visual of the
alternatives
making
analyzing
easier. 130
10/03/08
 Break-Even Analysis

Capital Budgeting

Quantitative
Techniques Linear Programming

Queuing Theory

Probability Theory
10/03/08
131
DEVELOPING EXCELLENCE
A REFLECTION ON INPUTS
 Global Seismic Shifts

1. The globalization of markets and technology

3. The emergence of universal connectivity

3. An exponential increase in competition-

bench mark- “world class”

4. The movement of wealth creation from

financial capital to intellectual and social
capital

5. Permanent white water

The need for a holistic Model of
Excellence
Disciplined study
IQ Self awareness
Creativity
Teaching and doing

EQ
EMOTIONA
PQ
L
HOLISTIC Physical
QUOTIENT
MODEL Quotient
Self awareness
And self control Nutrition
Motivation Exercise
Empathy Relaxation
Social skills SQ Integrity Stress Mgt
SPIRITUAL Vision
QUOTIENT Meaning
Your 5 Competencies at Coca
Cola

Market Execution –ME

Demand Creation – DC

Demand fulfillment- DF

Performance Finance-PF
 PUT SIMPLY- EQ
Its about:
 Managing ourselves

 Managing our interaction with others

 Understanding more about human

behaviour

 Understanding consequences more

 A language or a framework
 EQ COMPETENCIES
Self Awareness Social Awareness
 Emotional Self-  Empathy
Awareness  Organisational
 Accurate Self Awareness
Assessment  Service Orientation
 Self-confidence
EQ
Self Management Relationship Mgmt
 Emotional Self-  Developing others
Control  Inspirational
 Transparency Leadership
 Adaptability  Change Catalyst
 Achievement  Influence
 Initiative  Conflict Management
 Optimism  Teamwork and
 The 4C model of Excellence

You live that you may love;

You love that you may learn to live
 EMPTHY-THE FOUR LEVELS

 Listens- SOLER

 Reads non verbal clues

 Open to diversity

 Sees (and anticipates) other’s

perspectives
 Coping with anger

GAI NS Probl em so lvi ng method

Get information
Acknowledge
I want - messages
Negotiate
Self-Care
 SQ
Flexibility
Self-Awareness
Ability to face and endure
suffering
Ability to be compelled by a
vision
See connections between diverse
things
Cause no harm
Tendency to probe and ask
fundamental questions
WINNING MIND
Brain Re-engineering

Is Productivity proportional to
CET …..?
USING THE WHOLE BRAIN
10/03/08 144
VARIETY OF THINKING STYLES
&
ATTITUDES
MENTAL SCREENS

VISUALIZING

RIGHT BRAIN

MUSIC THERAPY
 NLP

SWISH

SPLIT SCREENS

CIRCLES
Being in the G.A.P
 What are values

Values erosion
word wide
-Enron

Johnson and Johnson

7 Values at Coke
 WORKING ON YOUR
ROAD MAP

Removing Negativities
 DEFINITION

10/03/08
S=P>R
Stress occurs when the pressure is greater than the resource 151
 Managing Stress-Alternatives

• Conventional Medicine • Floatation

• Counselling & • Herbalism
psychotherapy
• Biofeedback
• Relaxation
• Homeopathy
• Meditation
• Massage • Hypnotherapy
• Yoga • Osteopathy
• Acupuncture • Pet Therapy
• Aromatherapy • Reflexology
Creativity- New ideas, originality

Innovation- takes the new idea

through to a satisfied customer

Mind maps

Lateral thinking

Thinking hats and others……

Excellence is not an option….It is the
way….
IQ

EQ

PQ

SQ
 Think of a sentence of more than
15 words all beginning with the
letter T

10/03/08 155
 Trevor took the trouble to take
the train ticket to the terminus to
transfer the train time to ten
tomorrow

10/03/08 156