training to become more creative.

You know what research tells us about brainstorming?

It sucks. Well, kind of.

Research consistently shows that you end up with more ideas, and more good creative ideas if you have those people all working independently on the problem.

Surprised?

In a business world enamored of the idea of teamwork and teamplay, this comes as a rude shock to a lot of people. Quite rude. But there are some very good reasons for this.

Which is all to say that training in creativity is a lot more than simply giving people a few creative-thinking tools, like experience in brainstorming. Real creative thinking is more a lifestyle, than it is a checklist of ways to think though a problem.

Teaching creativity requires that we consider people's world views and personal experience, and showing them that different is not wrong.