The CEO of Grasp Guru shares tips on how to boost your creativity

Creativity may largely be innate, but creative thinking as a skill can be developed, says Joel Alexander Ng, CEO and principal trainer of design thinking and innovation strategies at Grasp Guru.

Define creativity.

Creativity is about making serendipitous associations and inspired connections, often to address real-world issues. It helps us stay agile and adaptive to disruptive, sometimes scary, situations that we could never have planned for. It offers the unique ability to reframe challenges as opportunities for growth and profit. Creativity has relevance across job types and functions.

What is the basis of such thinking?

Thinking unabashedly like a child and exploring beyond one’s comfort zone are keys to unleashing clever ideas. It requires one to throw caution to the wind, and immerse oneself in fantasy and imagination.

Do you think we exercise our ability for creative thinking enough?

One interesting observation I have made over the years is that people tend to be more creative when applying it for selfish reasons. For instance, thinking up ways to jump the queue, trying to impress the girl of your dreams, or coming up with a hack to fix a leaky tap. I truly believe that if we allowed ourselves to inject more passion and interest into our regular work, we would similarly be able to channel creative energy into tackling tricky workplace issues.

What are some ways in which we can develop creative thinking?

A certain amount of creativity is innate, but it may be sparked and facilitated. Reading on a variety of subjects will give you a broader view of things when approaching solutions to problems. Curious and intuitive questioning is key, as is asking for help and being open to exploring another person’s perspective. As in the case of everything else, practise makes perfect. Set aside a definite amount of time every day for cohesive thinking; practise dreaming.

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You can also employ some guided methodologies such as Scamper – an acronym for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse – which is a lateral thinking technique that urges the user to challenge the status quo and explore new possibilities. The Idea Rubik, a patent of Grasp Guru, promotes associative thinking. In other words, it triggers you to think of something totally new when you see, hear or experience something. The power of association then enables the user to combine concepts to form enhanced versions and adapt ideas from elsewhere to apply to the current context. It draws on one’s familiarity and experience, and extrapolates it forward into an unknown realm to spark off crazy yet viable ideas.

What is fundamental to thinking of creative solutions?

There are three mindsets that I practise and recommend when it comes to creative thinking. Tell yourself:

• I am solving someone else’s issue. This way, I become less burdened compared to if I keep reminding myself that the stakes are high.

• Whatever I say is correct. This eliminates self-doubt and “idea suicide” – it will prevent me from killing my own ideas the moment I suggest them.

• I have the power to implement any idea. This puts aside resource constraints and frees us up to propose higher possibilities.

What are some other ways to boost our creativity?

Research shows that it is possible to awaken our senses to think creatively. Dim lighting can help creative performance, while darkness elicits a feeling of being free from constraints, and triggers a risky and exploratory processing style. Low to medium ambient sounds such as that of a coffee house or pantry – the clinking of cups, water gushing from the tap and the like – have also been proven to enhance performance on creative tasks. Certain smells trigger psychological reactions — vanilla and cinnamon smells can help enhance creativity. Being in a space that allows you to walk randomly can also help. If space is a constraint, simulating open spaces or showing an avatar walking about randomly can be just as effective. Images and colours from nature, such as greens and landscapes can also help give your creativity a boost. Even something as simple as having a blue wall can help enhance creativity.