Being Strategic and Creative At Work
To understand how people were creative at work, I spent time watching and interviewing clients and colleagues approach a typical assignment. It was fascinating because everyone used a different system,
Research & Insights
Posts under Research & Insights focus on background, sources and other tools of investigation supporting the posts outlined here, or touch upon critical principles of conducting research to meet organisational requirements. Feel free to use the Search bar to scan for relevant tags.
By Andy Eklund
Analytical Thinking vs. Critical Thinking
There are two important phrases in business which are bandied about a lot. Analytical Thinking and Critical Thinking. Like some terms in business, there isn’t always a clear definition. In
What’s the Difference Between Strategic and Creative Thinking?
I was asked recently by a communications agency in Sydney to answer some questions about the similarities and differences of Strategic and Creative Thinking as they began their annual planning
Stengthen Your Intuition in Ten Steps
Here’s how to strengthen your intuition in ten steps. Similar to creativity, intuition is something everyone understands at a basic level because we’ve all felt it. But, when pressed about
10 Ways To Harness Your Subconscious
Being creative isn’t always about what’s right in front of you. More often than not, being creative means learning to harness both your common sense and your unconscious thinking to work more
Problem Solving the Cause or Effect (Stop It or Mop It)
Understanding and articulating the problem (“a less than ideal state”) is a crucial step in creative thinking, but it’s also important to know if you are fixing the cause or
Is Knowledge Helpful or Hurtful?
An earlier post – #9. Let Someone Else Brainstorm For You – brought me lots of thoughts and comments around the topic of Information vs. Knowledge vs. Intelligence. All the
Is Linear Thinking Bad?
After attending my creativity workshop, a woman sent an e-mail asking whether linear thinking was bad. I understand why she’d think so. A quick Google search on linear thinking – or its
Problem Solving and the Gordian Knot
Details may vary depending upon which ancient Greek storyteller you prefer, but there once was a poor peasant named Gordias who decided to sell simple wares from his ox cart
Organising Information: The SWOT Analysis
Here are the comprehensive instructions to develop SWOT analysis, one of the most common tools to sort and analyse information. Credited to Albert Humphrey and his work at the Stanford
The Different Types of Questions
There are four basic and different types of questions. Most people know of two types: closed and open, but let’s drill down a little deeper. Definitions Closed questions confirm specific information you already
The Value of Questions
It’s hard to under-estimate the value of questions. They are the most direct and most simple tool to get good information from another person. Yet, there is no such thing