Skip to content

Do we really understand what it means to be creative?

Creativity is that which separates human beings from beasts. It is more than just building a tool or expressing one’s “self” or drawing a picture. The ability to be creative involves an understanding of nature that we then change and adapt based on our needs or to solve a problem. An educational pro

Phil McKinney
Phil McKinney
2 min read
creativity brainstorm

Creativity is that which separates human beings from beasts. It is more than just building a tool or expressing one’s “self” or drawing a picture. The ability to be creative involves an understanding of nature that we then change and adapt based on our needs or to solve a problem.

An educational process should involve encouraging the human mind to conceptualize ideas, and then use our minds, our tools, and our free will to actually transform the physical characteristics of our environment to adapt to our ideas. Animals adapt to nature. Human beings change it. Human beings are the creative force of nature.

Effective Educational System To Be Creative

An effective educational system is one that encourages the students to use existing knowledge in order to make new challenges. It is tempting for a teacher to dictate to a student what they already acknowledged to be true. But if this is the accepted norm of education, then innovation is prevented. Instead, the wise teacher will encourage the student, preferably a group of students, to discover among themselves what can be independently true, so that they “own” the truth in the same way that the original discoverer knows it.

Then the student, who now knows the history of his knowledge, can help to resolve problems by asking the right questions, and envisioning acceptable solutions.

In a work environment, often other members of the team understand the product or the service dynamically that the supervisor or even the inventor doesn't understand. If they encourage the team member to confront the solutions to problems in design or function, then the questions that he forms, and the suggestions that he offers, will take the form of creativity that leads to innovation.

Does your managerial style encourage creativity, or does it demand conformity? The most valuable assets in your company (or country) are the human minds of your team.

If you would like to put creativity and innovation to work within your organization, find out how the team can help.

BlogHow Toasking the right questionscreativecreativityinnovation coachinginnovation mastermind

Phil McKinney Twitter

Phil McKinney is an innovator, podcaster, author, and speaker. He is the retired CTO of HP. Phil's book, Beyond The Obvious, shares his expertise and lessons learned on innovation and creativity.

Comments


Related Posts

Members Public

Is Boredom the Silent Muse?

Unlock creativity through boredom? Our fast-paced lives fear silence, but stillness may be the key to focus and innovation. What should you do? Embrace boredom, reclaim your attention, and unlock your full potential.

A man walkin the woods deep in thought
Members Public

How to Manage Cognitive Load and Optimize Your Thinking

Did you know your brain can overload like a computer with too many tabs open? This phenomenon, termed 'cognitive load,' can decrease focus, retention, and overall performance.

Image of a brain that overloaded. AI Generated.
Members Public

Are We the Creators or the Created? The Enigma of Creativity

Are we mere puppets in a grand cosmic play, with every act of creation predestined? Or are we the playwrights, penning a narrative birthed from our own free will? This debate has spanned centuries and continues to intrigue us.

Image of the Earth in Gods hands