Crisp Coaching & Consultancy Ltd, Radnor House, 46 Radnor Road, Horfield, Bristol BS7 8QY  Tel: 0844 567 6801    Company Registration Number 05379946

info@ccandc.co.uk     www.ccandc.co.uk

In learning to master creative problem solving, the best and sometimes the only way is to learn through mistakes. Fear of making mistakes is often the most inhibiting attitude to effective problem solving.

Here is an exercise to help you increase your ability to solve problems creatively.

Creative Exercise 1 -  Making disparate connections

There have been many efforts to define or explain the creative process. Psychologist Sarnoff A. Mednick of the University of Michigan thinks of it as the forming of associative elements into new combinations or arrangements.

This is not be the whole story, but the person who can marshal a great number of associations and ideas and bring them to bear on his problem has the best chance of coming up with an original solution.

In this exercise, think of a fifth word that is related to the preceding four words. (Compound and hyphenated words or commonly used expressions are allowed.)

Examples:

1. alley date snow spot
Answer: Blind (blind alley, blind date, snow blind, blind spot)

2. sleeping, contest, spot, shop
Answer: Beauty (sleeping beauty, beauty contest, beauty spot, beauty shop)

Now train your own associative powers with the following sets:

1. bug, rest, fellow, cover  
2. cross, baby, blood, ribbon  
3. see, carpet, hot, rum  
4. touch, palate, soap, sell  
5. easy, hush, belt, order  
6. tree, cup, cake, forbidden  
7. wagon, stand, aid, dance  
8. dust, movie, gaze, sapphire  
9. tooth, talk, potato, bitter
10. elephant, snow, lie, wash

Click here to arrange an introductory session to find out more.

Creativty coaching can help you solve your problems in the way that you need.