8 Responses

1. Paper Cup
   Hi, A really simple one I have used is how many uses can you come up with for a paper cup. If you work in teams or individually if you only have a few people then gather all the examples together it also shows the value of teamwork (i.e working along you came up with 20 uses, together there were 40). Hope this helps!

2. From the perspective of an alien!
   I have used this short exercise, which I got from an Innovation website.
   Write down on cards the names of everyday objects – i.e fridge, TV, apple or whatever you want.
   Ask each group to select a card.
   Ask them to define the object from the perspective of an alien who has never seen that objerct before. This requires them to suspend their own views about the use of the object and be as creative as possible. For example, is a fridge a God that requires constant sacrifice or a growing site for medicinal mould.
   A variation would be to give the same card to each group and see what they come up with.

3. Soemthing here?
   ENERGISERS

   http://www.johnsleigh.com.au/energizers.htm
   http://www.ventureup.com/teambuilding/indoor_energizers.html
   http://www.zhaba.cz/materials/misc/energizers.html
   http://www.cornell.edu/OHR/TNET/Icebreakers/Icebreakers.html
   http://www3.sympatico.ca/thetrainingoasis/febspice.htm
   http://www.johnsleigh.com.au/visuals.htm
   http://www.johnsleigh.com.au/activities.htm
   All the above links take you to web sites where energisers which can be used in meetings and on training courses can be found.

   1. Please note my website was

      Please note my website was moved over 10 years ago and you can now access this content here:

      Accelerated Learning Energizers: A Sure-fire Recipe For Keeping Participants Awake

      [quote=garry platt]

      ENERGISERS

      http://www3.sympatico.ca/thetrainingoasis/febspice.htm

      [/quote]

4. Creative thinking crossword…
   Hi Lindsay,

   I’ve got a great crossword that’s designed as an energiser for creative thinking – it’s difficult to describe, but email me and I’ll send it to you.

   Kind regards,

   Colin Hamilton
   email: [email protected]
   web: http://www.bis-improve.co.uk

5. Creativity
   Hi Lindsay

   I use a simple questionaire that looks at Creativity Potential as defined by Personality, Problem Solving Approach and Work Environment.It does need to be facilitated but I find it useful to identify blocks to creativity.

   Let me know if you would like a copy

   Cheers

   Phil Wheeliker
   [email protected]

6. Creativity or Innovation?
   Hi Lindsay,

   I wonder if you mean innovation, rather than creativity.
   Most replies here are based around innovation, not creativity. ie asking people to find new ways of using an existing product or item (fridge, paper cup etc)
   Creativity is not something you can manage, or write questionaires for.
   Creativity is the production of something totally new…not a different use for something that already exists.
   Phil was on the right track by looking at the ‘blocks’ to creativity.
   Rather than ask how you can make people creative, look at what stops them from creating, and work from there.

   Find out what drives these individuals, what their passions are, even if they are unrelated to work.
   Make a fun excercise by asking them to write down (in 5-10 minutes) 10 absurd things that would make work a really fun place to be.

   Tell them the mission is to increase the number of laughs per employee per day. Totally throw them off course and get them thinking outside of the rules and regulations.

   Let them have fun and ‘play’ for while, and watch the ‘creativity’ come through.
   Offer a prize for the most absurd suggestion.

7. Creativity with a tie…
   In a similar vein to the one below (paper cup), I have done an exercise on how many uses the group can come up with for a man’s tie.