Top 4 Creative Thinking Tools for Entrepreneurs

by ADMIN

Are you an entrepreneur trying to tap into the creative realms of your mind and get the most out of it? If yes, then you certainly would want to check out these powerful tools designed to help you become more creative and efficient as you move along on your entrepreneurial journey.

First, let’s analyze some of the most common areas of entrepreneurship where people are faced with ‘mental blocks.’ A ‘mental block’ is when you want to solve a particular problem creatively with new ideas but don’t know how. In this article we will discuss a few powerful creative thinking methods that you can use right away to clear up any ‘blocks.’

1. Zeroing-in on the Best Ideas from a List

One of the biggest problems entrepreneurs face after a quick brainstorming session is finding the best idea from a whole list. If you face a similar problem, then you might want to consider using this:

PINC Filter

PINC Filter is a tool that you can leverage in order to select the best ideas from a list by understanding their pros and cons. While implementing, the technique is extremely simple. All you need to do is write the Positives (things that add value), Negatives (things that remove value), Intriguing (curious things that could be of value), and Concerning (worrying things that could remove value) of each idea. Once you’re done with writing for each idea, just analyze it, and I am sure it would become a lot easier for you to pick-out the most suitable for your business.

2. Finding & Resolving the Problem

While it is quite easy to work on problems that are known, first knowing what the problem is and then working on it can get really difficult. If you are unable to figure out the problem in the first place, then try using this tool:

Simplex

Simplex is my personal favorite. Created by Min Basadur, it takes problem-solving to the next level – thanks to the 8 steps involved in the method. You begin the process by finding the problem, and then ultimately taking action on the solution derived from it.

3. Looking at Things from Different Perspective

It is imperative for entrepreneurs to look at critical issues from not just one but from many angles in order to avoid blunders. To do that effectively, one can consider using the following method:

Reframing Matrix

By using a Reframing Matrix, you can look at problems from multiple viewpoints. Implementing the method is very simple if you remember the 4 P approach for it. The 4 Ps are nothing but looking the situation from a Product perspective, Planning perspective, Potential perspective and People perspective. The tabular representation of this method generally looks like:

4. Using Group Creativity for Advanced Decision Making

Ideally, the corporate world prefers teams or groups to deal with specific issues and to sort out a way and decide on the most suitable solution. But what they don’t know is that group creativity can be really confusing if they don’t use techniques like the Six Thinking Hats.

Six Thinking Hats

Six Thinking Hats is a method developed by the author of Lateral Thinking, Edward de Bono, to help teams in their decision making process. The basic idea involves 6 hats of different colours where each hat represents a specific method of thinking. Here is an overview of each hat:

White Hat – Facts & Information

Red Hat – Feelings & Emotions

Black Hat – Negatives

Yellow Hat – Positives

Green Hat – New Ideas

Blue Hat – The Big Picture

Within the group there is one master who controls the entire event and makes sure that hats are worn appropriately in accordance with reaching the goal. As an example, while in the process, the master can urge the team to get more fresh ideas by asking them to wear the green hat. If there is a need to play devil’s advocate, then he would ask everyone to get their black hats on.

All in all, with this article we can conclude that problems can definitely be tackled more effectively when you think outside the box. The methods we discussed above are only the tip of the ice berg. If you really want to stay ahead of the crowd then keep on innovating and experimenting with new techniques to find better, more viable solutions to complex problems.