This series of posts on “How To Be More Creative” offers articles, books and other resources on developing creative thinking and innovation, and enhancing our creative expression.

My other Creative Mind posts, hopefully, do that as well – but these new posts specifically provide brief excerpts of selected material by other authors that have a more “how to” flavor. Feel free to make any comments or suggestions.

Creative Thinking: How to Be More Creative (with Science!)

by Gregory Ciotti

“Have you ever wished you were more creative? If you do creative work, have you ever suffered from a creative block and been stuck wondering what exactly is wrong, and how you can get yourself out of it?”

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In a recent Creativity Post article, science writer Sam McNerney provides a stimulating and encouraging overview of a “renaissance in creativity in both the lab and the pages of popular books and magazines.”

He says that “Cognitive flexibility, the ability to switch between thinking about two concepts or consider multiple perspectives simultaneously” is a “popular topic in the neuroscience world.”

Darya Zabelina, a creativity researcher at Northwestern University told him “a lot of people are studying cognitive flexibility from a lot of different perspectives.”

A number of stimulating, even provocative, books in psychology can provide insights into developing creative thinking.

Here are a few examples.

In her NY Times article The Power of Concentration, Maria Konnikova reports on a University of Washington study on the effects of meditation training on multitasking.

She summarizes: “Researchers asked a group of human resources professionals to engage in the type of simultaneous planning they did habitually.

“Each participant was placed in a one-person office, with a laptop and a phone, and asked to complete several typical tasks: schedule meetings for multiple attendees, locate free conference rooms, write a memo that proposed a creative agenda item and the like.”

Here is a brief list of books that can enhance our creative thinking, and help develop our personal and business creativity and innovation.

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The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are.

By Brene Brown, PhD

Brown says, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”

In a post on her blog, she writes: “Before my research on wholeheartedness… I was completely disconnected from my creativity. My disconnection took the form of judgment, resentment, and fear: ‘A-R-T – how nice. I have a J-O-B – I’m doing real work.’ Today, I’m reconnected with my creativity and it’s transforming every part of my life.”

“In her chapter on creativity she explains the paralyzing properties of comparison. Brown may be one of the only writers in this genre that offers us a path for change and an honest look at the obstacles.” [From book description on her site brenebrown.com.]

[Her book is a best seller in Self-help/Creativity on Amazon.com]

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The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO, America’s Leading Design Firm
by Thomas Kelley

IDEO, the world’s leading design firm, is the brain trust that’s behind some of the more brilliant innovations of the past 20 years–from the Apple mouse, the Polaroid i-Zone instant camera, and the Palm V to the “fat” toothbrush for kids and a self-sealing water bottle for dirt bikers. Not surprisingly, companies all over the world have long wondered what they could learn from IDEO, to come up with better ideas for their own products, services, and operations.

In this terrific book from IDEO general manager Tom Kelley (brother of founder David Kelley), IDEO finally delivers–but thankfully not in the step-by-step, flow-chart-filled “process speak” of most how-you-can-do-what-we-do business books. [Amazon summary]

Links to a variety of sites with articles on creativity research by multiple authors, plus courses, programs & books for developing creativity and innovation.

Sites / Blogs
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Creating in Flow – “Insights and advice about all forms of creative expression” – By Susan K. Perry, PhD, a social psychologist, writer, and writing consultant.

Creativity at Work: Developing creativity and innovation in organizations

Founder: Linda Naiman – a creativity and innovation consultant. “Our focus is on leadership and team development, creativity, collaboration, and cultivating environments that foster innovation.”

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