Class Notes on Creative Thinking Skills

Curiosity
Creative Thinking Skill

Wanting to know or learn is hands down the best way to learn anything, everything. 

Why’s that? Simple. Because curiosity cultivates intrinsic motivation. When a student (from preschool to professional) is curious, they are hungry to learn, to find out, to understand deeply and to get it. 

Little kids are best at blatant curiosity. “Why did the fire alarm go off at school?” “Because someone hit the alarm by mistake.” “Why did they hit it by mistake?” “Because it was an accident.” “Why did they touch it by accident?” “I guess because they were curious.” “What does curious mean?” “Wanting to know.” “What do they want to know?”

Working though this maddening conversation with a child is, well, maddening. And, in staying open to it, adults have an opportunity to learn from kids who truly are creative until about age ten. That’s when it’s time to get “serious” at learning.  As result, kids start to lose their creativity.   
Being curious develops an inner drive to learn. Another word for inner drive? Joy, interest, motivation, incentive, wish, desire, compelled, impetus.  

Adults, lean in and take a queue from the little ones, especially with open-ended questions. 
In becoming more curious, we are more likely to learn more, remember more details, and be more joyful. Anything for a bit more happy these days, right? 

Not sure if it will work at work? Try with kids first and see what happens. Remember, kids are probably more creative than you and they’re great at this curiousity stuff. 

WoC students make a tree with roots to resonate with root cause

Root Cause Analysis Tool

Use open ended questions and to be more curious 

“I wonder…” (personal favorite) 
“That’s interesting, tell me more...”
“What do you notice, wonder…”
“I’m curious about...”