The Namibian Creativity Advantage
“All ideas arise when someone combines the knowledge and information they already have to come up with something new” according to Fredrik Härén, author and speaker on Business Creativity. Fredrik is the author of nine books, including The Idea Book that was included in The 100 Best Business Books of All Time. Recently in Namibia to speak about Creativity and New Thinking at the Professional Speakers Association of Namibia’s Summer Conference, 99FM’s MYD Smart spoke to Fredrik about the concept of creativity.
“I have been studying creativity for 20 years. For the last ten years, I’ve been living in developing countries and I have also travelled to 18 developing countries, to really understand what is different between the developed and the developing world in terms of creativity. The differences are huge, and I have found that there are advantages to living in a developing country when it comes to being creative.”
“I think, that in Namibia, you have an advantage. You have the advantage of many different cultures in one place, and by using the best of each culture you create new ways. That’s exactly what creativity is.”
To understand these advantages, Fredrik explains, “Creativity, is the ability to combine things that you know, in a way that you haven’t seen before. Which means you need a lot of knowledge and information. It is taking old things and combining them with new things. Then you need to practise this skill, because just having a lot of knowledge doesn’t make you creative.”
“I think, that in Namibia, you have an advantage. You have the advantage of many different cultures in one place, and by using the best of each culture you create new ways. That’s exactly what creativity is. There is not one way of doing things. If you live in a mono-culture where everyone does the same thing, the same way, its very difficult to imagine a new way of doing things. Here all the different cultures in one country, its easy to see and learn from one another to find better ways of doing things.”
When asked about creativity on an individual level, Fredrik explains, “Everyone is creative. A lot of what I do, is unlocking creativity in people, in companies. If you don’t think you can do something, you don’t try. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Creativity is a practise, you just need to get going.”
“I have asked hundreds of thousands of people if they think their company is doing enough to develop their creativity. Two percent say yes and ninety-eight percent say no. But when you ask people if they themselves are doing enough to develop their creativity. Two percent say yes and ninety-eight percent say no.”
When asked about the responsibility a company has in unlocking creativity in it’s people, Fredrik explains, “I have asked hundreds of thousands of people if they think their company is doing enough to develop their creativity. Two percent say yes and ninety-eight percent say no. But when you ask people if they themselves are doing enough to develop their creativity. Two percent say yes and ninety-eight percent say no. It is easy to blame companies, governments and schools for not doing enough to grow creativity. But what are you doing to develop your own creativity? This should be a life skill that you are in charge of yourself.”
Schools, Fredrik explains are not generally the place where creativity is awoken. “Creative people go to the same schools as everyone else. Its not the school that triggers creativity.” When asked what advice he has to awaken creativity, Fredrik gives two points. First, “It’s usually the parents who trigger creativity in a child. So allow your child to come up with ideas. When they ask a question, do not give the answer immediately. Ask them what they think the answer is. Even if it is a strange answer, this is about teaching them to generate ideas. Creativity is asking questions and also finding answers.”
Secondly he explains, “A lot of people, in looking for new solutions, will come up with two or three ideas and then stop. Very rarely do we come up with ten ideas and extremely rarely do we come up with fifty ideas. If you come up with fifty ideas, a lot won’t be useful, but some will be completely new and unlike what someone else is already doing.”
For more from Fredrik Härén, take a look at his website by clicking here
For more information about the Professional Speakers Association of Namibia, send an email to info@psanamibia.org or take a look at their website by clicking here
Written by Kirsty Watermeyer