fostering creativity and innovation: what libraries can learn from the second city
TRANSCRIPT
Fostering Creativity and Innovation
What Libraries Can Learn from The Second City
Christian J. Miller KLA/KSMA Joint Conference
“Information – the Library Superpower!” September 29, 2011
…With Great Libraries, there must also come –-
great
creativity -Amazing Fantasy #15 (sort of)
Christian Miller is the Reference, Instruction and _____1_____
Coordinator at the _____2_____ Library in the School of
____3______ and _____4_____ Relations at Cornell University. The
_____2_____ Library is renowned as one of the ____5______
libraries in the world collecting information on _____6_____ issues
and his interests include the library as a ____6______. He also has
served on numerous _____7_____ library committees and is the
current Chair of the _____8_____ Division of the Special Libraries
Association.
Intro/Bio “Mad Libs”
Origin Story
It was a dark and stormy night…
Allow myself to introduce: Myself
ENTP Empathy
Ideation
Includer
Developer
Positivity
2.6
4.0
Alina, 7 Owen, 6
Middle Child
1310
October 23rd
“Visionary”
Reading Performing
Playing with Kids Sports
Animal House Blues Brothers
Caddyshack Dumb and Dumber
Librarian
the quest for creativity begins…
Why creativity?
It’s a Complex, interconnected world
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace;
making the complicated simple, awesomely simple,
that's creativity.”
Charles Mingus American jazz bassist and
composer
creativity
Creativity is the ability to see relationships
where none exist.
Thomas Disch Science Fiction author,
Hugo Award winner
The incongruity – resolution
theory of Humor
So, two fish are in a tank. One says to the other…
“How the heck do we drive this thing?!?”
Usually humorous, spontaneous theater often created through
audience suggestions
Popularized by The Second City
“Improv”
Tina Fey Chris Farley
As Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker
Improv workshop
Now, Let’s Do it again!
No preparation ≠ no rules
Rules of improv aka “Yes, and…”
• Don’t Block or Deny
• Always pay attention and focus on your partner
• Go line for line
• Go against the voice of reason, take risks, and celebrate failure
• Justify, justify, justify!
By Applying these principles you can Create an environment of trust that will encourage creativity
4 myths of personal creativity 1. “Creativity is for geniuses and artists.”
2. “I’m just not naturally creative.”
3. “Well, it’s too late to begin pursuing creativity now.”
4. “It’s not my job to be creative.”
Source: T. Amabile (1998) “How to Kill Creativity”.Harvard Business Review, September, 77–87
Creative Thinking Techniques
• Free Association
• Forced Connections
• BrainWriting
• SCAMPER
• Idea Box
• Mind Mapping
• SuperHeroes!
Forced Connections ________
(Noun)
Solutions
SCAMPER
Read more…
…to innovation
From creativity…
“Thanks, boss, for pointing out how crazy our ideas are, and why they won’t work!”
Creative leadership
Cultivating organizational creativity in an age of complexity, IBM, 2011
Uncover…
Unlock…
Unleash!
Creative libraries in action
Library Outside the Library (LOL) aka CUL Labs
Consolidation Task Force experience
Creativity workshops, on to the future…
Fully 63% of business executives interviewed agree that too many recent college graduates do not have the skills to be successful in today’s global economy.
How Should Colleges Prepare Students To Succeed In Today's Global Economy? Conducted On Behalf Of: The Association Of American Colleges And Universities By Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc.
70% of these employers say colleges and universities should place more emphasis on the ability to innovate and think creatively. (73% also emphasize critical thinking/analytical ability)
