Be More Skilled Week – Creative Problem Solving

How to SCAMPER your way to creative problem-solving

Creative thinking and problem-solving are essential skills for the workplace. Not only do these skills enable you to solve problems and come up with innovative ideas, they can also help you to stand out from the crowd! Employers value colleagues who can respond positively to the challenges they face, and who waste no time in coming up with practical realistic solutions.

Creative problem solving is needed in all sectors and industries – no matter the size or age of the business. In the words of entrepreneur and author James Altucher, ‘ideas are the currency of the 21st century’.

The good news is that creative thinking is a skill that we can all develop. Consider it a muscle that we can flex! Creative thinking is a process fuelled by conscious and unconscious insight, and an ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated things – like a subconscious game of ‘join-the-dots’.

Not only is creative thinking a vital skill for generating ideas, but it also comes in handy when we are trying to solve problems and overcome challenges.

My favourite creative thinking technique is the SCAMPER technique, which I use when I am trying to find creative solutions to a problem. As you can see below, SCAMPER is an acronym. So, next time you are facing a problem – whether in your studies, work or personal life – ask yourself how you can ‘SCAMPER’ elements of the problem, to come up with a creative solution. Specifically ask yourself, what can you…

S= Substitute?

C= Combine?

A= Adapt?

M= Minimise/Magnify?

P= Put to another use?

E= Eliminate?

R= Reverse?

If you have enjoyed reading this blog post, and would like to boost your own creative thinking and problem-solving skills, come along to our free workshop ‘Using Creative Problem-Solving’ on Tuesday, 2 March from 12:30pm – 2:00pm, as part of our Be More Skilled Week.

Book your place now.