Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and generate ideas: Giovanni Corazza at TEDxRoma

TEDx Talks
11 Mar 201413:38
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe speaker explores the challenge of 'thinking out of the box,' using the metaphor of the diaphragmatic breathing in singing to illustrate the difficulty of seemingly simple tasks. They discuss the necessity of creativity in a world where information is ubiquitous, and the importance of divergent thinking for personal growth and innovation. The talk encourages embracing the unknown, practicing 'long thinking,' and valuing the process of idea generation, even when it challenges the status quo or our own self-perception.

Takeaways
  • 😟 Easy tasks can be difficult for some, leading to frustration.
  • 🎤 Breathing with the diaphragm is a natural but challenging technique for singers.
  • 🧠 Thinking outside the box requires practice and is crucial for creativity and innovation.
  • 🔍 It's important to question why we should leave our comfort zone and think differently.
  • 🌐 We are nodes in a network, and our value lies in what we generate from shared information.
  • 🗺️ Understanding the boundaries within our minds helps us identify areas for creative thinking.
  • 🎲 Divergent information, which includes absurd or irrelevant ideas, is essential for innovation.
  • ⏳ Long thinking, like reading poetry or listening to music, involves seeing the bigger picture rather than judging single elements.
  • 🆕 Assessing the value of new ideas is challenging, but it's important to resist the urge to kill our own ideas.
  • 💡 Creative environments must allow divergent and irrelevant information to stimulate new ideas.
  • ⚖️ Evaluate new ideas by matching them with initial goals or seeing if they solve other problems.
  • 🚫 We often kill our own ideas due to self-doubt and fear of risking our reputation.
  • 🎭 Experimenting with new ideas, like altering elements of TEDx conferences, shows how divergent thinking can lead to innovation.
Q & A

  • Who are the transcriber and reviewer of the video script?

    -The transcriber is Michele Gianella, and the reviewer is Elisabeth Buffard.

  • What is the main theme of the presentation?

    -The main theme of the presentation is the concept of thinking out of the box and its associated challenges and importance.

  • What personal experience does the speaker share to illustrate the difficulty of seemingly easy tasks?

    -The speaker shares the experience of starting singing lessons and being told to breathe with the diaphragm, which is a natural yet difficult skill to master.

  • How does the speaker relate the concept of thinking out of the box to creativity and innovation?

    -The speaker explains that thinking out of the box is essential for creativity and innovation, as it involves going beyond conventional ideas and practices to generate new and unique solutions.

  • Why does the speaker believe that thinking out of the box is necessary for human dignity?

    -The speaker believes that thinking out of the box is necessary for human dignity because it allows individuals to generate new ideas and solutions, differentiating them in a networked world where everyone possesses the same information.

  • What analogy does the speaker use to describe the process of thinking out of the box?

    -The speaker uses the analogy of crossing boundaries within our minds from what we know to what we haven't yet thought about, similar to playing the middle game in chess where there is no preset direction.

  • What does the speaker mean by 'long thinking'?

    -'Long thinking' refers to the process of thinking deeply and expansively over a prolonged period, much like reading poetry or listening to music, rather than seeking quick, immediate solutions.

  • How does the speaker suggest we should assess the value of a new idea?

    -The speaker suggests assessing the value of a new idea by looking for its match with the initial focus or evaluating it per se for its own value, even if it seems unrelated to the original problem.

  • What conditions does the speaker identify as necessary for fostering a creative environment?

    -The speaker identifies the necessity of allowing divergent information, mixing different disciplines, and using metaphors within the organization as conditions for fostering a creative environment.

  • What examples does the speaker give to demonstrate divergent thinking applied to TEDx Conferences?

    -The speaker gives examples such as holding a TEDx Conference in a stadium or having one speaker deliver the speech of another to eliminate the element of ego, demonstrating divergent thinking.

Outlines
00:00
🎤 The Complexity of 'Easy' Tasks

The speaker discusses how tasks that seem easy can often be surprisingly difficult. He shares a personal anecdote about learning to breathe with his diaphragm in singing lessons, which appeared simple but was challenging. The speaker parallels this with the challenge of thinking outside the box in a work environment, emphasizing that while it seems straightforward, it requires practice and stepping out of one's comfort zone.

05:03
🔍 The Necessity of Divergent Thinking

This section emphasizes the importance of thinking outside the box for our dignity as human beings. The speaker explains that living within our comfort zones is safe but limits our creativity. He introduces the concept of divergent information, which challenges conventional ideas and encourages innovative thinking. The speaker argues that going beyond convergent information is essential for true creativity and innovation.

10:05
🏟️ Creative Experimentation with TEDx

The speaker conducts a thought experiment on generating new ideas for TEDx conferences. He starts with conventional elements like good speakers and excellent themes, then applies divergent modifiers to push these elements to their limits. For instance, he imagines a TEDx conference in a stadium or having speakers deliver each other’s scripts. These exercises demonstrate how thinking out of the box can lead to unique and innovative concepts.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Out of the Box
Thinking 'out of the box' refers to looking beyond conventional boundaries to find innovative ideas. In the video, it's emphasized as a challenging but necessary skill for creativity and innovation. The speaker illustrates this with examples like suggesting a TEDx conference in a stadium or having speakers deliver each other's talks to eliminate ego.
💡Diaphragm Breathing
Diaphragm breathing is a technique used in singing and other activities requiring controlled breath. It is highlighted as seemingly simple but difficult to master, symbolizing the ease of saying versus the difficulty of doing in the context of creative thinking.
💡Convergent Information
Convergent information refers to well-established, commonly accepted knowledge and ideas. The video mentions this as the 'safe' information we rely on, such as known requirements for a TEDx conference like good speakers and themes.
💡Divergent Information
Divergent information involves unusual, absurd, or seemingly irrelevant ideas that push boundaries and foster creativity. The speaker discusses adding divergent modifiers to conventional ideas, like exaggerating a TEDx setting to a stadium, to generate new perspectives.
💡Innovation
Innovation is the process of creating new ideas or methods. The video stresses the importance of innovation for maintaining human dignity and making a difference in a world where information is widely shared and accessible.
💡Risk and Reputation
Risk and reputation refer to the potential personal and professional consequences of proposing new ideas. The speaker addresses the fear of risking one's hard-earned reputation when thinking out of the box, emphasizing that this risk is necessary for growth and innovation.
💡Network
Network in this context describes the interconnected nature of modern society where information is shared in real-time. The speaker argues that in such a network, our unique contributions, driven by creative thinking, are what distinguish us from one another.
💡Serendipity
Serendipity is the occurrence of making fortunate discoveries by accident. The video mentions serendipity as a common phenomenon in the creative process, where new, valuable ideas often emerge unexpectedly.
💡Environment
Environment refers to the surrounding conditions that influence creativity and innovation. The speaker discusses how a supportive environment that tolerates mistakes and encourages diverse information is crucial for fostering out-of-the-box thinking.
💡Long Thinking
Long thinking is the process of contemplating ideas over an extended period without rushing to judgment. The video contrasts it with fast or deep thinking, advocating for a more reflective approach to generate profound, creative insights.
Highlights

Easy tasks can be difficult, leading to frustration, such as breathing with the diaphragm for singing.

Thinking out of the box is often considered easy but is actually very challenging and requires practice.

Creativity and thinking out of the box are necessary for human dignity in the information-sharing age.

The 'box' represents the boundary within our minds between known knowledge and unthought ideas.

Our mind is shaped by genetic heritage, environment, indirect experience, and direct experience.

We feel safe within the boundaries of our knowledge, but stepping outside involves risk.

Divergent information, which is absurd or irrelevant, is needed to think out of the box.

Valuing 'long thinking' helps in understanding concepts and ideas beyond immediate judgment.

New ideas are often challenging to evaluate because they are unexplored territory.

Fear of mistakes and punishment hinders creativity and the willingness to think out of the box.

An environment that allows for mistakes and encourages divergent information fosters creativity.

Generating new ideas can be a fast process if the right environment and mindset are cultivated.

Applying divergent modifiers to familiar concepts can lead to innovative ideas, such as TEDx conferences in unusual settings.

Removing familiar elements, like brilliant speakers, can lead to new formats, such as cooperative TEDx conferences.

Thinking out of the box requires resisting the temptation to retreat to safe, known ideas.

Transcripts

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Creative ThinkingInnovationDivergenceDignityNetworkingInformation AgeMind ExpansionBox MetaphorSinging LessonsTEDx IdeasOut of the Box