The Power Of Imagination
Albert Einstein once said "Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all that will ever be to know and understand."
But how can we deliberately and predictably tap into that well of imagination? Is there a prescription for how we can all access it?
I am pursuing a Certificate in Art Therapy with the belief that art can be used to create better business – that is, businesses with higher share, greater customer loyalty, and superior customer value.
To back up, I am a Senior Marketing Executive with the great fortune to work for some of the most well-known brands across a range of industries. These have included, for example, Kay Jewelers, Crest Toothpaste, Pantene Hair Care, Cover Girl, Rubbermaid, Goodyear, and Ralph Lauren. I have also worked for smaller and startup companies.
Succeeding In Business Is Hard
My experience is that solving the complex problems of business calls for a great deal of creativity and melding together different viewpoints.
However, decisions must also be supported with facts, and often the factual, logical discussion overwhelms the nonverbal creative thinking. Thus, the company squelches the very thinking process which they vitally need.
So, what are specific methods to help unleash imaginative, creative thinking?
Get Out The PlayDough
The market changes, and successful companies transform their business model to deliver what the market desires. In 2018, three scientists hypothesized that clay work could be used to enhance readiness to change, as clay work by nature is about transforming one form into another. So here's the test they designed:
All participants were given clay which they modeled into anchors. Then, one group remodeled the anchor into sculptures of boats, which was intended to symbolize transformation, while the other group remodeled the anchor back into a ball, which was intended to symbolize being stuck. Afterward, each participant’s readiness to change was measured by the URICA Readiness To Change assessment.
The results showed a statistically significant difference in the level of change readiness between the people who transformed the anchor into a boat, as compared to the people who transformed the anchor into a ball. They also spoke longer to the therapist after the clay exercise, indicating a higher engagement in transforming their behavior.
So, keep a few jars of playdough on hand for your team. They might come in handy.
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