Volume5 Issue3_Larger_2019_Finalised
The London Business Journal Volume 5 Issue 3, 2019. London's #1 business magazine for entrepreneurs business owners and senior level decision-makers offering tips, features and exclusive interviews. Covering business in the UK and worldwide.
The London Business Journal Volume 5 Issue 3, 2019.
London's #1 business magazine for entrepreneurs business owners and senior level decision-makers offering tips, features and exclusive interviews.
Covering business in the UK and worldwide.
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Creativity
www.londonbusinessjournal.co.uk
Chris Griffiths:
Founder of
OpenGenius
and bestselling
author of The
Creative
Thinking
Handbook
true (despite a lack of evidence to support
this viewpoint). Fully understanding and
being conscious of these thinking traps is
a significant first step in overcoming
them. So, what else can you do to avoid
falling prey to these errors?
Well, it really all starts with how you
approach the ideation process. Rather
than getting your team to gather and come
up with ideas during the brainstorming
session, ask everyone to come with a few
of their own ideas already prepared. That
way you avoid the ‘groupthink’ that can
occur when one person suggests an idea,
and everyone goes along with it. In a
similar vein, get everyone to challenge
their own ideas to avoid the ‘pet’ idea
syndrome that leads people to favour the
concepts they’ve come up with
themselves. To tackle the status quo bias
that blinds businesses from seeing ideas
beyond convention, take the time to flip
things on their head. Try ‘reverse
brainstorming’ – rather than thinking
‘what to do’ think about ‘what not to do’
– a technique such as this will help you
push beyond the restraints of your own
ideologies. After all, you only need to
look at companies like Blockbuster and
Kodak to see how being stuck in your
own bubble results in major missteps.
The French philosopher, Emile Chartier
said: “Nothing is more dangerous than an
idea when it’s the only one we have.” It
may seem like thinking traps are poised
to set you up for a fall – but by adding
strategy to your thinking, you can cover
up the booby traps and keep a clear head.
So that your brain is retrained to be the
best and most powerful ideation tool in
your business arsenal.
Chris Griffiths is the bestselling author of The Creative Thinking Handbook, and Founder of
OpenGenius, the innovative company behind creative productivity software Ayoa.com. For further
information visit: www.opengenius.com
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www.londonbusinessjournal.co.uk
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