November 2008 - Getting To Know Creativity & Two No-Cost TeleWorkshops

 

Summary:

(a) Creativity is a centrally important character strength for you and for your clients.  But what is it and how can you nurture it.

(b) Two no-cost coaching teleworkshops with Ben Dean

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

In This Issue:

1. Two No-Cost TeleWorkshops with Ben Dean, Ph.D.
2. Getting to Know the Strength of Creativity -- Ben Dean, Ph.D.
3. Upcoming Classes

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

1.  Two No-Cost Coaching TeleWorkshops With Ben Dean, Ph.D.

 

Join Ben for a two-hour no-charge coaching teleworkshop.  Each TeleWorkshop will include a drawing where one participant, from each TeleWorkshop, will win a 100% tuition waiver to the MentorCoach Foundations Program!

 

2. Getting To Know the Strength of Creativity
By Ben Dean, Ph.D.

This is a return to our series of newsletters on the VIA Character Strengths.  One of my signature strengths is creativity.  That did not seem to be accurate at first until I realized that the VIAs definition of creativity included street smart savvy or problem solving ability.  This fit more with what I knew about myself.  It's a vitally important strength for us and for our clients.

So, what is creativity?

Definition: A creative person is someone who comes up with ideas that are (1) original and (2) useful.

Like all strengths, creativity exists on a continuum. Some find it helpful to distinguish between "Little C" creativity and "Big C" creativity. Big C Creativity is reserved for once in a lifetime, creative acts. (Think Einstein, DaVinci, or Edison).  In contrast, Little C creativity refers to day-to-day creativity.

 

Points To Consider

• Hard work is often a prerequisite for creativity, particularly Big C creativity. Big C artists, inventors, scientists, and writers spend years mastering their respective domains before making a valued creative contribution.
• In order for an idea or product to be considered creative, it typically has to be complete. Who knows how many potentially Big C creative manuscripts or paintings remain forever unfinished?

Situations To Approach And Avoid When Exercising Your Creativity

• People are much less creative when they are under time pressure, when they are being scrutinized and judged by others, and when external circumstances limit the range of options available.
• In contrast, creativity is encouraged by environments that are supportive, reinforcing, open, and casual.
• Dr. Barbara Frederikson, author of Broaden-and-Build: Theory of Positive Emotion, suggests that positive emotions are evolutionarily adaptive because they trigger a broadening of our mental state. Creativity is much more likely to occur when we are open to new ideas and new experiences.
• Supporting this "broaden-and-build" theory, researchers found that participants in a happy mood outperformed participants in a negative or neutral mood on a task requiring a creative solution (Isen, Daubman, & Nowicki, 1987).

Take Home Message

When you or your clients want to exercise your creativity, try doing something first that you know will put you in a happy, relaxed mood. Avoid criticism (and this includes self-criticism!) and time-pressured situations when possible. Finally, recognize that creativity often requires work, work, and more work. (Stay tuned for a future e-Newsletters about other important character strengths).

Just Do It.

 

Finally, it is interesting to note that people are more likely to be creative when they are (drum roll please) told to be creative! So if you want to exercise your creativity, then just do it!

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

3. Upcoming Classes

 

The MentorCoach 31-week Foundations Program

 

MCP 129 Wednesdays
31 Wednesdays
1:00 pm - 1:59 pm Eastern (New York Time)
International Time (UTC/GMT) add four hours
Starts Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Instructor: Jan Hill, Ph.D. 

MCP 130 Wednesdays
31 Wednesdays
8:00 pm - 8:59 pm Eastern (New York Time)
International Time (UTC/GMT) add four hours
Starts Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Instructor: Margaret Wilkinson, Ph.D.

 

For more information, click here.

 

MentorCoach MasterClasses

Small Business Coaching MasterClass
12 Tuesdays
Begins Tuesday, 1/16/09
From 5:00 -- 5:59 pm Eastern (New York Time)
Instructor: Anne Durand, MCC

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 
 

 

 

 

 

About Ben Dean -- Ben, Editor of Coaching Toward Happiness, is a coach,  psychologist, founder of MentorCoach, and... MORE.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Copyright 2006-2008. Coaching Toward Happiness.  All rights reserved.