Transcript De Creatieve persoonlijkheid

the Creative personality
Paradoxical traits
acc. to M. Csikszentamihaly
You shouldn’t engage an ‘Einstein’ and
then refuse his request for a 6-meter
blackboard.
The complexity of the creative mind
Tendencies of thought and action that in most people are
segregated are often found in one creative individual..
Traits such as:
A great deal of energy &
Often quiet and at rest
They have their energy under their own control –are not
governed by calendar or clock. Quick in focusing when
needed and consider rhythm of activity followed by idleness or reflection important for success of their work.
This is no biorhythm, but learned by trial and error and
different from normal office hours ?!
smart & naieve
Above 120 the IQ cannot be correlated with creativity.
Creative persons are able to use well two opposite ways of
thinking: convergent (= intelligent -IQ) and divergent , involving
fluency in creating ideas & originality in picking unusual
Associations. They move & translate easily between imagination and
practical reality. And they need space.
playful & disciplined
The combination of playfulness and discipline is not
joking but about exploring ideas. This finding and
discarding of ideas may look irresponsible to the
convergent eye. But it ensures never to take the first
idea, they know from experience that it’s the worst idea.
Discipline is about the quality of doggedness, endurance
and perseverance to look for more alternatives.
They need management’s trust.
fantasy & reality
Creative persons alternate easily between imagination
and practical reality. In a way art and science are great
forms of escape not into never-neverland, but into new
worlds or paradigms, just as true and realistic as
everyday life. Novel ideas have a tendency to look very ‘
logical’ afterwards.
The process needs time.
extravert & introvert
Usually people tend to be one or the other, research indicates that
extraversion and introversion (acc. to Jung highly distinctive) are
one of the most stable personality traits that differentiate people
from each other and that can reliably be measured. Creative
individuals seem to express both traits at the same time.
One must generally be alone to write, paint or experiment in a
laboratory. Yet over and over again, the importance of seeing
people, and getting to know another person’s work and mind are
stressed by creative individuals.
Create the opportunity for exchange and avoid secrecy.
humble & proud
It is remarkable to find that famous people can be
modest, even shy. It is the respect for the domain they
work in and the giants who contributed. Moreover they
usually are appreciative of the part luck played in their
achievement.
The duality expresses itself also in the contrast between
ambition and selflessness, or competition and
cooperation.
masculine & feminine
In all cultures men are brought up to be ‘masculine’ and
repress ‘feminine’ aspects and women are expected to do
the opposite. Research shows that creative individuals
somehow escape this rigid gender stereotyping. This
form of ‘psychological androgyny’ refers to a
person’s ability to be at the same time aggressive
and nurturant, sensitive and rigid, dominant and
submissive, regardless of gender.
Beware of stereotyping: they may not fit the ‘HR
format’.
rebellious & traditional
Creative people are generally thought to be rebellious and
independent. However, to develop something new one must
have internalized the domain, so it is difficult to see how a
person can be creative without being both traditional and
conservative and also rebellious and iconoclastic. Being only
traditional leaves the domain/paradigm unchanged; whereas
rebelliousness creates the new with respect for the old.
Appearances may be deceptive, don’t force office
rules on them.
passionate & objective
The energy created by this conflict between attachment
and detachment is seen by many as an important aspect
of their work. Why? Without the passion, we soon lose
interest in the task. Yet without objectivity the work is not
very good and lacks credibility. No artist is satisfied with
the first version...
There is a delicate balance between pressure and
objectivity, create the organization ‘around’ this.
vulnerable & enjoyment
The openness and sensitivity often exposes them to
suffering and pain yet also a great deal of enjoyment.
Divergent thinking is often regarded as deviant.
“Inventors have a low threshold of pain.” things bother
them.. Being at the forefront of a discipline makes you
exposed and vulnerable. Eminence invites criticism and
attack.
Still the most outstanding trait in creative individuals is the ability to
enjoy the process of creation for its own sake. The reward seems to
be in the creative search.
Celebrate success and provide protection from outsiders.
The reward is the love for creating ....
...”Wisdom knows that all things will pass;
that suffering is a part of life;
that life is a meaningful spiritual journey;
that renouncing love for power, wealth and fame
is a destructive choice based on fear;
that love is the mystery
we learn a little more about each time we risk pain
by opening our heart to something or someone;
and that change is inevitable.”....
Jean Shinoda Bolen
"Unclose your mind. You are not a prisoner.
You are a bird in flight, searching the skies for
dreams."
Haruki Murakami
(Hard-boiled wonderland and THE END OF THE WORLD)
For more on creativity go to
http://www.creasynth.nl /creativitykickoff.html