Abigail Posner, head of strategy for Google鈥檚 Brand Unit, shared her top tips for unlocking creativity in a talk Tuesday in Macky Auditorium.
Posner was the third speaker in the university鈥檚 annual Leo Hill Leadership Speaker Series. Other speakers include former Secretary of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency Director Robert Gates and the first woman of color in space, astronaut Mae Jemison. Posner was introduced by CU Boulder鈥檚 first female Rhodes Scholar Serene Singh.
Posner began by taking a close look at today鈥檚 leaders vs. those of yesteryear. She noted historical American leaders excelled in military prowess, industry or raw wealth鈥攁nd were mostly male. Today, that has changed.
Today鈥檚 leaders are leaders 鈥渂ecause they are game changers who come up with transformative ideas.鈥� So, how do you spur your own innate creativity?
Tip 1: See the why
People often fail to examine why people do what they do or what motivates them. If you are developing a product, for instance, ask why. In the case of Google, why do people use technology.
Tip 2: Look for the links
Make connections between seemingly different worlds and don鈥檛 filter yourself or your ideas, no matter how wild they seem. Tap your inner child. Don鈥檛 spend too much time ideating: Spend 10, 15 or 20 minutes. Don鈥檛 overthink.
Tip 3: Discover your mission
Ask yourself the big question: What is your purpose on this Earth?
Tip 4: Collaborate
You can鈥檛 successfully come up with new ideas without collaboration. Find people different from yourself. Hire people different from you. Brainstorm together. Break disciplinary boundaries. 鈥淒o not try to be creative on your own. It is very, very hard. Play together.鈥�
