I do like Weston’s definition of creativity (from our reading in Creativity for Critical Thinkers). He defines it as, “the art of expanding possibilities” (Preface vi). That is a definition I can embrace. Although I like to think of creativity as being something magical, I now see how one can develop the skill. From this reading I can also see that creativity is important for critical thinkers. I haven’t done so well on the exercises the author used in this book – BUT – they have certainly opened up my thought processes.
The readings made it clear that I need to be aware of other options available as I was prone to try to solve problems according to conventional thinking. I did NOT ask myself – what about other options. Or, if I did, I didn’t find the magic way out of the situation. The idea of “thinking outside the box” sounds like such a cliché, but we don’t realize how stuck we really are until we are called upon to solve a problem that does not conform to what we already know. Leadership is not about power; I can now see that it is about rising to the challenge in trying times, and having the ability to take a creative approach to these challenges.
Weston also challenges us to view problems as opportunities. I am still working on the creative activities in Creativity for Critical Thinkers, but will post them once I have completed anything that is noteworthy. Right now I’m still digesting “The Need For A Method” and “Inviting Exotic Associations.” The random prompts suggested by the author seemed a bit silly at first, but with further reading, I see how this works. I will experiment with this and – hopefully – have something positive to report!
Creativity for Critical Thinkers
Anthony Weston
Oxford University Press: New York, 2007
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