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willingness and competency to think creatively. Creative thinking is the
process we use to develop ideas that are unique and often have practical
applications. The generation of new ideas evolves out of a process of
combining, changing, or reapplying existing ideas. People moving into

leadership positions should be committed to develop the ability to think
innovatively, or “out-of-the-box” to use a tired phrase.

Everyone can learn how to move beyond their current set of assumptions
and mindsets that limit how they view and understand problems and

issues. Creativity involves seeing new possibilities, finding connections
between ideas that seem unconnected, and reframing the way people think
about an issue (their paradigms). 116 From a leadership perspective, the
ability to think creatively enables leaders to contribute innovative insights
that can open up new opportunities or alternatives for an organization.

Creative thinking can often be facilitated by using introspective questions
to open up new approaches to organizational problems. These could
include the following:

• What would happen that isn’t happening now?
• What would the future situation look like if it were to change?
• What decisions would need to be made and implemented?
• What would we need to accomplish beyond what we are currently
doing?

• What patterns of behavior that are currently in place would need to
be eliminated?
117
Although it seems cumbersome, creative people have discovered the value
of keeping track of their ideas at all times. A creative thought could come

unexpectedly, and, if not written down, could quickly become forgotten.
This author has talked with songwriters who wake up in the middle of the
night with an idea for a song and then make sure they capture it on paper
right then and there. It is also helpful to challenge yourself to pose new
questions every day with respect to personal, professional, and

organizational activity.

116 Ellen Van Velsor, et.al. “Our View of Leadership Development.” Cynthia D. McCauley, et.al. editors.
The Center for Creative Leadership: Handbook of Leadership Development. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Publishers, 1998, p. 20.
117 http://www.umich.edu/~elements/probsolv/strategy/thinkers.htm.

David Kolzow 106