

















“Creativity isn’t a talent, it’s an obligation.”





















Think about what happens when you work in a linear fashion – you wait right? Most process models are designed so that “B” can’t start until “A” is finished. This makes getting from A to Z time consuming, not to mention – it leaves no room for exploration, experimentation and failure. Wait, failure? Yes. Failures in a process are necessary for evolving an idea and even starting over if needed. “Parallel action” allows for these steps to occur and is the difference between work that is good or work that is great.

This type of thinking isn’t relatively new. Edward DeBono (one of the world’s leading thinkers about thinking, and founder of “The six thinking hats”) says this about “parallel thinking“:

“Parallel Thinking is not about philosophy but about the practical thinking required to get things done.

For two and a half thousand years we have followed the thinking system designed by the Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, based on analysis, judgment and argument. Is this traditional thinking sufficient today? The old boxes are no longer adequate to cope with today’s rapidly changing world. So judgment and argument can no longer solve problems or move us forward. We need to switch from judgment to design. How can we design forward from ‘parallel possibilities’?

– Accept possibilities without judging and lay them down in parallel

– Accept both sides of a contradiction and lay them down in parallel

– Then design forward from parallel possibilities”

– Edward DeBono

So what’s the difference between “parallel thinking” and “parallel action”? It’s the “action” part? Seriously, there are times you can improve a project just by moving it forward –  working at the same pace as others within a process. It’s far better to share what has been developed, allowing for movement instead of waiting until others are finished with their role in that process.  This requires more communication and constant feedback, thus everyone moves in parallel.

Here’s the trick. There is a reason for order within a process. It maintains integrity of key components like research, insights and ensures deadlines are met. So there still needs to be certain “linear actions” taking place. It’s like parallel action taking place while linear movement still exists. If this sounds like chaos it could be, but only if you’re in the wrong mindset.

Creativity is difficult if your intentions are to create something great – something unique. It’s why some people refer to the creative process as a “science”. It’s definitely, if done correctly, not subjective. It takes effort and commitment in it’s communication and sharing of information. This process also demands respect and real collaboration with those involved. Being able to say, “Your idea is better than mine” means dropping egos and playing with a humble attitude. Hilman Curtis, an artist well known for creative process states:

“Cooperation is the foundation of any team effort. It’s a basic idea, one that goes way back to kindergarden when your teacher pleaded with you to play well with others. But as basic as it is, we all forget its importance.” – Hilman Curtis

Parallel action allows for producing great work that yields amazing results. Just like anything in life it insists on honesty, commitment, constant communication and a desire to be unique. Employing this type of action within a process can be difficult to manage.  However, once achieved, it’s like butta.

On Fire.

February 6, 2010

I tend to watch programs on the Discovery channel. I think it’s because the commentary is inviting and not harsh like the news or most TV drama shows. The other evening I was engrossed in a show I usually watch called, “The Naked Planet” that was explaining how a meteor enters the earth’s atmosphere and it’s impact on the planet’s surface. What I discovered was that meteors, in this manor, behave almost like the mind when developing creative ideas.

A meteor is a piece of rock or ice that travels in space which is pulled by the gravity of a nearby planet or moon. It becomes incandescent as a result of friction and appears as a streak of light as it enters the atmosphere of that planet or moon. See what you can learn from watching the Discovery Channel? So how does this relate to the creative process? The answer lies in what happens to the rock and ice as it travels to the surface .

This meteor gets really hot as it fights the atmosphere of earth traveling at thousands of miles an hour. It pushes through the gases of space and it compresses the air so tight that the heat literally peels away the material from the meteor and it burns away, thus causing the trail of light that we usually see. Since childhood we refer to these as “falling stars”. That sounds much better than a burning rock traveling at blistering speeds headed right for your backyard.

The most important part of what happens to the meteor is that it ends up being a fraction of its original mass and sometimes is nothing more than a pebble before it reaches its destination. Now plant this image I just painted for you in your head and think about the creative process. As you develop ideas you get excited about them, you get fired up, and then you start to peel off the layers of that idea until it becomes this nugget of creativity of unmeasurable power.

Finally, this meteor – even the size of a pebble – hits its destination with such impact that would destroy entire cities. Think about that. A huge idea, narrowed down to a powerful creation, on target, on strategy, reaching its audience with such an impact that causes a result that is so explosive that everyone notices. That, my friends, is called an idea on fire.

And why would you want to stop that?