You’re sitting at your desk, trying to find a new creative idea for your training. You type something into your computer and then delete it, type and delete, type and delete. Somehow, you’re experiencing a creative block today. The page remains blank.
You’re not alone in this. There are moments when the spark of an idea just won’t come. That’s precisely why we want to introduce you to three methods today on how to fuel your creativity, whether alone or with others.
Method 1: The 6-3-5 Method
This method aims to develop creative ideas. You’ll need 6 people for this – each person requires a sheet of paper and a pen. Then, each person is tasked with writing down three ideas in response to a specific question.
Depending on the difficulty of the question, the moderator should allocate more or less time for developing these ideas. The sheet is then passed clockwise. Participants are to further develop, supplement, or comment on their neighbor’s ideas. It’s important not to judge the idea but to work with it. After a few minutes, the sheet is passed again. This way, you end up with many new ideas collectively developed by a group.
Of course, this exercise can also be done with fewer people. Why not ask a few fellow trainers and collectively tackle the question: “How can I bring more fun into my training?”
Method 2: Mind-Mapping
With mind mapping, you don’t write down your ideas and thoughts as usual in a list. Instead, you write the main topic in the center of a sheet and jot down your thoughts as keywords on lines emanating from the center of the mind map. This creates a visual representation of your thoughts.
Mind mapping not only gives you an overview of your thoughts but also enhances your creativity. Additionally, information tends to stick better in your memory through mind mapping.
Method 3: The Walt Disney Method
The Walt Disney method originates from the company of the same name and was used there to develop new, innovative, and creative ideas in a team. It’s suitable when you want to think about new ideas in a team free from barriers. Often, ideas fail because the focus is on the hurdles rather than the potentials.
In this method, there are four roles: The Dreamer, the Realist/Doer, the Critic, and the Moderator (the Neutral). The Dreamer assumes that anything is possible and favors crazy approaches. The Realist questions the implementation of the idea – What is needed for it? How could it be tested? What basics are necessary? The Critic critically questions the ideas, uncovering weaknesses, pointing out errors, and raising doubts. It’s important that criticism is constructive.
By not setting any limits and critically examining and questioning ideas that may seem unrealistic at first, a very high creative potential is unleashed within the team.
And now: Have fun trying them out!
