Necessity has the face of a heretic” refers to the ability of people to find creative solutions when they find themselves in situations of high need: when we are faced with problems or crises, our brain has the potential – if it does not prevent it – from be activated to seek innovative solutions to overcome these difficulties. In crisis situations, after having tried everything within our reach and seeing that nothing has worked, we are forced to think differently, to new possibilities and to look for solutions that we would never have imagined under normal circumstances.
To deal with these situations, and encourage creativity, it is important not to be paralyzed by fear or anxiety that a crisis situation can generate. Instead, we must keep an open mind and be willing to explore different options and approaches. Another important tip is to seek help and support from, as working as a team and collaborating with other people (especially if they think differently) can be essential to find innovative solutions.
But not always everything goes as one would like. There are some limitations that make the above more complex, for example, many people tend to focus more on obstacles than opportunities, which can lead to a lack of innovative solutions, some people may limit themselves to obvious or conventional solutions in instead of exploring more creative and innovative options.
As a mnemonic rule I like to use the acronym Crisis as a guide to bring out all the creative potential in situations of extreme need:
C. Change Perspective: To be creative, it is important that you change perspective and see things from different angles. For example, instead of focusing on the problems, focus on the opportunities they bring. Remember that when a glass breaks, the owner is sad and loses money, but the glazier is happy and wins. There is no such thing as right or wrong, it all depends on which side of the counter they choose to be on.
A. Assemble a diverse team: Diversity is key to fostering creativity. A diverse team that includes people with different skills, experiences, and perspectives will provide different perspectives, interpretations, and solutions that may even be combined with each other to generate superior ideas.
I. Be inspired: Look for inspiration in different sources, such as nature, art, music, literature, other sectors. “Copy, adapt and paste” are valid steps in the creative process.
S. Be brave and take risks: Creativity requires courage and a willingness to take risks, not being afraid to try new things and experiment. Ask yourself before “what is the worst that can happen?” or “’what would you do if you weren’t afraid?’ It can be helpful.
I. Improvise and adapt: In situations of crisis or great need, it is important that they know how to improvise and adapt to changes, being flexible and looking for creative and innovative solutions. Falling in love with something that no longer works can be tragic.
S. Be persevering: Creativity requires perseverance, don’t give up at the first obstacles. Keep looking for creative and novel solutions. Even when you think you have one, put it aside and find ten more. I assure you that the greater the effort, the contribution in value of the latest ideas will surprise you.
Albert Einstein wrote “The crisis is the best blessing that can happen to people and countries, because the crisis brings progress. Creativity is born from anguish, as the day is born from the dark night. It is in the crisis that inventiveness, discoveries and great strategies are born. Who overcomes the crisis, surpasses himself without being ‘overcome’”.
*Engineer specialized in strategies, innovation and digital transformation, author of the book Inspiración Extrema, speaker.
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