Guest Post--creativity and CEOs

November 17, 2011

I read a fascinating little book called Creatively Ever After a little while ago (click here for my review of Creatively Ever After). I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but if you look at the cover you'll see why it intrigued me. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, and by how relevant well-remembered nursery rhymes becamse as I got involved in reading. Today I'm delighted to welcome the author, Alicia Arnold, to my blog to tell you all about Jack and Jill, CEOs and more. Thank you for joining us Alicia...

For all the CEO talk about creativity being the number one leadership competency for the future there’s a decline of creativity in America. But, there’s a well kept secret. What is that secret you ask? The secret is creativity can be taught.

Not only can you learn to be more creative, but techniques like creative problem solving have been tested and retested over the past 50 years and proven to be effective. With the goal of helping to solve the "creativity crisis," I set out to write a how-to book on creative problem solving. In my book, Creatively Ever After, I set forth a business fable that weaves the fictitious story of Jack and Jill (yes, the two who keep falling down the hill) and the nonfiction steps of the creative problem solving process to demonstrate techniques for tackling seemingly unsolvable problems.

In thinking about the format for the book, I wanted to help readers absorb the tools and techniques in a way that would be memorable and entertaining. This led me to write a business fable.

Through the story of Jack and Jill, readers learn hands-on tips and tools for solving their own challenges. The fable takes readers through visits with Old King Cole, Hey Diddle, Diddle, Humpty Dumpty and others. Along the way, readers learn how Jack and Jill managed to stop falling down the hill by tapping into the creative problem solving process:

· Identify the goal, wish, or challenge;

· Gather Data;

· Clarify the Problem;

· Generate Ideas;

· Develop Solutions and

· Plan for Action

I hope you enjoy the book. Creatively Ever After is my contribution to broadening awareness about creativity and a way to show business professionals how to tap into their natural creativity.