A Framework for Creative Thinking

It’s what most of us do all day, every day.

Even when we’re actively doing other things. Doing tasks, reading, meeting people, writing, playing, resting - our thinking is humming away in the background.

Given how much time we spend thinking, I think (!) we don’t pay enough attention to the type of thinking we need to be doing in different contexts and to deal with different demands.

I know my own default pattern was problem solving. Even when a different approach could probably have served me better.

But, as with our default tendencies, when all you have is a hammer - everything becomes a nail. And like a lot of professional problem solvers, I looked at everything as a problem to be solved!

So, how to escape the limitations of problem-solving thinking?

Reverse gear.

For three major components of the problem solver framework - try the opposite.

Step 1: Don’t start with the Facts

We normally start with the facts, the issue or problem and spend time formulating this as the precise target of our thinking.

Instead of this, start with a result in mind. And over time, you can work back to the facts at hand.

By formulating a desired result, or a range of results, we engage our imagination and start to pay more attention to what we want instead of the current issue.

By working to define what we really want, the relevance of the current facts or problem may change. What we considered the problem may not be one. What we considered an obstacle to the achievement of the result, may not be.

You may well find other issues or obstacles, but you will be focused on the relevant ones only.

Step 2: Don’t Assess Ideas

It’s almost automatic that we assess thoughts and ideas as we go. We dismiss options for all sorts of feasibility factors and whether they’ll be acceptable to stakeholders.

As with any of our automatic thought processes, it’s always interesting and sometimes very constructive to become more conscious of what we’re doing.

So, for creative thinking, don’t assess too early. Don’t dismiss for reasons until you’ve properly dug into and questioned those reasons.

Try to think without the constraints of what will work or what will be acceptable.

Which leads to the third thing.

Step 3: Question your Assumptions

Making and defining relevant assumptions is a necessary component of efficient and problem solving thinking. It keeps our thinking focused on the core issues and makes it clear to others what we have considered and on what basis.

However, when we want to do something different with our thinking, using our regular assumptions keeps us stuck in our usual lane.

For creative thinking, we need to not be stuck. We need to be able to expand and open our thinking to opportunity.

We don’t need to be efficient.

We have no problem to solve.

Happy thinking!