Building a creative mindset starts with asking better questions, having an open mind, seeking grit, being ok with making mistakes and being empathetic. Where do you want to start?
Empathy plays a critical role in creative thinking. When we are empathetic, we are open to more ideas, we are willing to have a ‘user-friendly’ perspective and be open to surprises. If you are ready to dive a bit deeper into this subject, we have some suggestions for you:
Make ‘creativity’ a habit – it’s going to help you in the long run. These books that dive deeper into the studies done in habit development will help you understand why:
Did you know that creativity studies have been around since 1950s? There are a lot of trends and studies done since then. Here are more books that we enjoyed that can help you continue in the journey of creativity:
To rethink, or reconnect, with your creativity I recommend my book Rethink Creativity where I share tangible tools, research, and best practices. Rethink Creativity is also available in Korean.
If you are a storytelling learner, you may enjoy reading what companies like Disney, Nike, Pixar, Zapoos, Apple, and Warby Parker have done differently and intentionally:
If you enjoy more research based collective storytelling, you’ll enjoy these authors. Their work reminds me how to learn, unlearn, and never assume what we know about innovation, culture, collaboration, and leadership:
If you want to build a different, or stronger, culture we can help you. Learn more about our culture development program services and our Rethink Leading program.
How we speak and communicate matters. How we feel connected, appreciated, understood, or hurt all stems from how we speak, show up, and interact with one another. Whether we are speaking, on Zoom, writing an email, or responding to a social media comment, how can we be more mindful, thoughtful, and articulate in what we are expressing and communicating?
If you want to hone your communication skills you may enjoy working with our coaches for deeper reflection and accountability, learn how you can work with our coaches.
Why do some moments feel magical while others feel flat? It’s because of how the host facilitates and curates the experience. At InnovatorsBox we design our offerings as experienced and expert curators. So we spend a lot of time researching and learning how to facilitate, bring people together, and create powerful moments. Here are books that inspired me to rethink how I create powerful and purposeful moments:
And while you’re at it, if you want to hone your facilitation skills, you may enjoy our Rethink Facilitation program.
Let’s be honest. As an innovator you are likely running a million miles an hour and everyone (including yourself) is always wondering how you do so much! While you may love the drive, it’s important to intentionally make space for self-care and self-reflection. I get it because I’m like you. I’m tempted to be on the go all the time so I intentionally block time for self-care and to pause, reflect, and play to restore my energy and mind. Since you are here, reading is probably one of the ways you like to recharge, too. Here is my recommended reading about the science of recharging and self-care.
If you are looking for more resources, you may enjoy our free creative resources tool kits and worksheets.
I LOVE children’s books. I linger in the children’s section whenever I visit the bookstore. Since the pandemic, I started creating my own library of children’s books. I love how healing, inspiring, and reflective it has been to have them near me. Ever since I shared my library with few friends I’ve been asked for children’s book recommendations that spur creativity, openness, courage, and positivity. So I wanted to share a few with you that I hope you’ll enjoy, too. Whether you read this for yourself or with your little ones, I know this will bring a smile to your face and remind you that creativity is a journey not a destination.
In the meantime, here are several titles I recommend: