From the age of 5 until round about 60 we become less creative, according to research. So is this inevitable or is there something we can do about it?

Dr. Robert Epstein talked about the four creative competences and even has suggested that we can improve each one of them. So what are they?

Capturing- creative people have ways to capture their ideas wherever they might be
Broadening- learning new things outside your comfort zone exposes you to new ways of thinking and can boost creativity.
Challenging- taking on new hobbies, responsibilities, doing things that may fail, challenges old ways if thinking
Surroundings - what can you do to make your surroundings stimulating?

As a facilitator, if you improve these four areas it will impact your role in a a very positive way. So let us look at some ways of developing these competencies:

Capturing: use your smartphone to take pictures of your ideas, or record memos of your thoughts, carry a notebook or use post-its and an ideas board, write a blog or tweet about your ideas

Broadening: talk to people you have nothing in common with and be interested in how they go about their job/hobbies etc, join a forum on LinkedIn on a subject you know very little about, subscribe to a newsletter from a company whose services you may or may not use.

Challenging: volunteer to chair a meeting, take on a new role within your team for which you have little experience - learn from your mistakes!

Surroundings: walk and talk with a colleague, meet colleagues in a cafe, put up inspirational quotes around your desk, put up holiday photos around your workspace

If you would like to lear more about developing your creative competencies and also meet with other trainers to generate lots of ideas - come to the BFLG Group on the 24th of January in Leeds at Leeds Building Society and join in the "Creativity Olympics!"

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