Over the years Dr Edward de Bono has shared great insights through his messages. This series of blogs revisits some of those highlights.

Why do we need creativity? Success in business or elsewhere consists of working efficiently and effectively within frameworks, guidelines, perceptions and values that have been established. Starting a new business is different. In an existing business continuity is all important. Anything else is a risk. There are three main reasons why we need creativity (this is quite separate from the four mathematical reasons why creativity is essential). PROBLEM SOLVING: If we cannot solve a problem then clearly there is a need for creativity (or more information or both). If we think we have solved a problem there is also a need for creativity to seek a better solution. The first and obvious solution is not necessarily the best one. OPPORTUNITY: This means putting together what we have in a new way to create new value. This covers design and invention. There is also the ability to respond to a change in the world around. SIMPLICITY: Here we find simpler, faster, cheaper etc ways of doing what we are already doing. In my book ‘Simplicity’ I suggested abolishing passport control on leaving the UK. Three months later this happened. Creativity is much easier if you have to look at the situation from outside the usual framework and perception. Most people reading this will believe that information and logic (and some experience) are all that you need to think the way forward. Goedel’s theorem points out that from within a situation it is impossible logically to prove the starting points – which are arbitrary perceptions, assumptions and values. So logic is not enough. At one time China was ahead of the West in science and technology then they started to believe that information was enough and progress came to a halt because they never developed ‘possibility’. The same thing is now happening with organisations that collect data on computers and then let this data form their strategies and decisions. There is a need for creative possibilities in looking at information in different ways.

Edward de Bono, 21st April 2007

About the Author: Dr Edward de Bono is a world leading authority on thinking skills.  Creator of the famous Six Thinking Hats ®, Lateral Thinking and many other workshops, he has authored over 80 books published in 35 languages. Holst is Dr Edward de Bono’s partner in Europe. Click here for more information about Dr de Bono and his tools. Learn to change how people think. Add Dr Edward de Bono’s tools to your portfolio & become a certified de Bono trainer. [traininglist slug=”six-thinking-hats-accreditation-3-days”] [traininglist slug=”six-thinking-hats”] [traininglist slug=”lateral-thinking”] [traininglist slug=”lateral-thinking-2-days”] [traininglist slug=”power-of-perception”] [traininglist slug=”power-of-perception-2-days”] [traininglist slug=”focus-on-facilitation”]  ]]>