Creativity Challenge 15

Creative Challenge 15 comes from my own book this time...BROKEN CRAYONS: Break Your Crayons and Draw Outside the Lines.

It comes from chapter 5 that deals with things that "kill" ideas.

Your challenge is to read the following and submit 6 to 12 examples of Tombstones and Trophies that are your favorites.

TOMBSTONES OF CREATIVITY

During the average day in any office, school or home ideas are killed left and right by the hundreds. Because of the daily killing of ideas the population of the cemetery of creativity is continually increased, deliberately or not. Because of what is done to new ideas, generally, the only thing left of them are their epitaphs.

Listed here are some of the most common epitaphs found in the cemetery of creativity. Read this list to look for ones you may have carved in tombstones recently.

1. What a lemon?
2. This is absolutely incorrect!
3. It won't work because I said so.
4. You're on a bum steer.
5. What a crack-pot idea!
6. This is contrary to tradition.
7. Don't make waves.
8. This doesn't conform.
9. This is eccentric.
10. It doesn't sound good.
11. Is that ever fool hardy!
12. Talk about far-fetched!
13. Get serious!
14. GOOFY!
15. Hairbrained much?
16. That has been tried before.
17. never did it that way.
18. I will think about it.
19. Just do it our way.
20. It'll never get approved.
21. Impracticable.
22. That's indefensible.
23. Never saw it before.
24. It'll never get off the ground.
25. It would be the first time.
26. No logic to that.
27. It's not essential.
28. Illogical.
29. You've got a hole in the head.
30. Not reasonable.
31. Outlandish, it won't work.
32. Not constructive.
33. Pie in the sky.
34. Too extreme
35. Let's have a meeting on it.
36. The boss won't like it.
37. Not in the budget.
38. No one else is doing it.
39. Too expensive.
40. Too simple.

TROPHIES OF CREATIVITY

Instead of letting the Tombstones of Creativity lay to rest potentially great ideas in your office or on your project, reward the idea creator with a TROPHY. These trophies are words or phrases that show the idea-sharer that you are open to his/her idea and will listen without passing judgment or criticizing.

Always keep in mind that when someone comes up with a new idea (at least for them) they become a majority of one until it is proven to be a worthwhile solution. Very rarely are ideas...solutions. Ideas are only the first step. Therefore if you are the one chosen to hear the IDEA don't stomp it to death.

Europe would be a crowded continent if Isabella hadn't listened to Christopher Columbus. Hundreds of thousands of people would not be working in the aerospace industry if Orville and Wilbur had agreed with their critics when they were told "Boy, you guys must be NUTS."

Put these TROPHIES on your shelf to hand out the next time you receive a new IDEA. The more of these you use the more creative ideas you will receive from peers, friends, relatives and even strangers.

1. That sounds like a winner.
2. Fantastic.
3. That may be advantageous.
4. It is memorable.
5. That's really alive.
6. A bold idea.
7. Very appropriate.
8. Worth a try.
9. An inspiration.
10. Best I've heard.
11. Charts new paths.
12. Clever approach.
13. Commendable idea.
14. A lot of foresight.
15. Worth a change.
16. Does make waves but that's ok.
17. Crazy enough to work.
18. Elegant solution in that.
19. Engineer's delight.
20. A good challenge.
21. Expertly conceived.
22. Opens extra markets.
23. Extraordinary.
24. A new viewpoint.
25. Impressive.
26. Novel.
27. On target.
28. Noteworthy.
29. Overcomes the problem.
30. Outstanding!
31. Thought inspiring.
32. Thought provoking.