Content about The Creative Organization

October 28, 2011
You Can’t Want Anything

When it comes to creativity, wanting something does seem to get in the way of actually achieving anything. That’s why organizations should consider creating “creative zones,” little oases within the company that allow for goal-less creative activity. The oasis could be a room or it could be a certain time each week, when employees can pursue any creative assignment they like without the pressure of instant success.

By David Intrator, president, The Creative Organization

A few years before his death in 2004, Charlie Rose interviewed Henri Cartier-Bresson at his home in Paris. For years, Carier-Bresson had been recognized as one of the greatest photographers of his time, having produced an uncanny amount of photographic masterpieces. Rose was curious as to how Cartier-Bresson went about his work.

“What’s the secret?”

Without missing a beat, Cartier-Bresson answered: “You can’t want anything. You just need to be receptive.”

October 14, 2011
Are You Dumb Enough to Be Creative?

In the all-important opening phase of the creative process—aka, “making a mess”—stupidity is your greatest asset. The more you get used to moving ahead on a problem without knowing exactly where you’re going, the more you get comfortable with hanging out in a zone that’s tentative and ambiguous, the better you’ll get at generating the stuff you need to come up with a successful creative solution.

By David Intrator, President, The Creative Organization

In my seminars and workshops on creativity, I spend a lot of time emphasizing the value of being an idiot.

Because in the all-important opening phase of the creative process, which I call “making a mess,” stupidity is your greatest asset. This is not the time for clarity, precision, or cleverness. Rather it’s the time for sloppiness, incoherence, and the mindless generation of stuff.