Creativity and the Critic

Do you ever wish that annoying colleague or friend who always wants to “improve” your ideas would just go away? You know the one I mean, he (or she) isn’t mean spirited or particularly unkind, just always a bit critical. Well, be careful what you wish for. More and more studies show that creativity flourishes not in an environment devoid of criticism but one filled with supportive critique. “Supportive,” of course, is key. The idea is to improve – to point out the strengths, certainly, but also and more importantly the weaknesses of an idea in order to make it better. This isn’t criticism for criticism’s sake; it’s...

Beyond Brainstorming

Ah, brainstorming. We’ve all relied on it at one time or another when we need to come up with fresh ideas. But does it work? If you’re anything like me, you’re probably pretty sure it does. Haven’t we all been taught, after all, that brainstorming is one of the most effective...