5 Fun Ways to Foster Creative Problem Solving by Jefferson County Public Library

Help your team members achieve more by developing their creative problem solving skills. Whether it’s dealing with day-to-day issues or large, complex projects, by improving their creative problem solving skills your team will be better equipped to tackle your company’s issues.

Try these 5 things to begin developing a creative, problem-solving team today!

1. Get playful with ‘Mind Games’

Crosswords, Sudoku, bridge, chess, etc. are all practical, fun ways to develop problem-solving skills. Have these games available in your lunchroom and encourage staff to take a break and play. Send an email each week with a fun, new puzzle or brainteaser – www.sudoku.com offers free, daily puzzles of varying difficulty levels.

2. Improvise with “Yes, and…”

Harness the power of the “Yes, and…” statement, a cornerstone of improvisational theater. “Yes, and…” encourages creative thinking and allows your team to build on one another’s ideas. Try using it during your next brainstorming session to improve effectiveness, encourage open communication, and to foster the sharing of ideas amongst your team.

3. Rephrase the problem as a question

Try phrasing the problem as a question. When problems are phrased in a traditional way (e.g. “Our revenues are down”), we put ourselves in a position of needing to find the reasons why this

statement is true. However, if we rephrase the problem as an open-ended question (e.g. “How might we increase revenues?”), we create a space for possible solutions to fill.

4. Embrace individualism and diversity

Encourage your employees to bring their individuality to work. Each member of your team, yourself included, brings a unique perspective. Fostering individuality and diversity will inspire creativity and out-of-the-box thinking while creating a safe environment in which to share ideas and possible solutions.

5. Educate yourself

View the Problem Solving Techniques e-course offered free via JCPL’s subscription to Lynda.com. You can also check out the books Creating Great Choices: A leader’s guide to integrative thinking by Jennifer Riel or Think Like a Freak: The authors of Freakonomics offer to retrain your brain by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner.

Need a library card to access these resources? Email me and I’ll set you up!

How else might you develop creative problem solving skills on your team?

Kelsey Ashton

Business Liaison

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