Dialogic #334
Leadership, learning, innovation
Your Snapshot
A summary of the key insights from this issue
⬩ Constraints are not always bad for creativity, but can actually stimulate it in some cases.
⬩ Leaders and facilitators can use constraints to focus efforts and prompt more creative thinking.
⬩ The type, level, and flexibility of constraints, as well as individual factors, influence how they affect creativity.
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#334 | September 22, 2023 | Tom x Midjourney |
Think (Really) Outside the Box with Creative Constraints
Many people think that creativity means thinking outside the box without any rules or limits. But is that true? Studies show that some limitations can help us be more creative by giving us focus, guidance, and challenge.
However, not all limits are good for creativity, and some may be harmful. In this issue, we explore how to use boundaries to think outside the box and how we can apply this to our projects.
What are constraints, and how do they affect creativity?
Constraints are any factors that limit your range of possible solutions or actions. They can be external (time, budget, or resources) or internal (goals, skills, or beliefs).
Constraints can affect creativity differently, depending on how we perceive and process them. Some constraints may hinder creativity by reducing motivation, increasing stress, or blocking alternative ideas.
Other constraints may enhance creativity by focusing attention, stimulating divergent thinking, or triggering novel associations.
Which constraints are more impactful for creativity?
Not all constraints have the same impact on creativity. Some research has identified five types of constraints that are relevant to creative work:
- Time constraints refer to deadlines or schedules that limit the duration of your creative process.
- Competition constraints refer to the awareness of rivals or competitors in your context.
- Resource constraints refer to the availability or scarcity of materials, tools, or information needed for your creative task.
- Anchoring constraints refer to the initial conditions or parameters that define the scope or direction of the task.
- Autonomy constraints refer to the degree of freedom or control the individual has over the creative task.
According to a meta-analysis of 145 studies, time and competition constraints negatively affect creativity, while resource, anchoring, and autonomy constraints have positive effects.
However, these effects are not guaranteed and may differ from one situation to another.
How can leaders or facilitators use constraints effectively?
If you are a leader or facilitator, you can use constraints as a strategic tool to enhance creativity. Here are some suggestions for using constraints effectively:
- Use constraints deliberately: Don’t avoid them entirely, but don’t impose them randomly. Choose constraints that are relevant and meaningful for the creative task at hand. For example, you might use resource or anchoring constraints to stimulate different perspectives if you want to generate new project ideas.
- Prioritise high-impact constraints: Focus on the types of constraints that have positive effects on creativity, such as resources, anchoring, and autonomy. Avoid or minimise constraints that have adverse effects, such as time and competition. For example, suppose you want to improve the quality of creative output. In that case, you might give your team members more autonomy (agency = voice, choice and responsibility) and reduce unnecessary deadlines or pressure.
- Allow flexibility in constraints: Ensure room for interpretation and adaptation in how constraints are applied. Don’t make them too rigid or fixed. Allow people to adjust or modify constraints as they progress in their creative work. For example, if you want to encourage experimentation and exploration, you might allow people to change the project parameters as they discover new possibilities.
Strategically using constraints can enhance creativity by providing structure, direction and challenge. Still, it requires choosing effective constraints and allowing flexibility.
⏭🎯 Your Next Steps
Commit to action and turn words into works
⬩ Identify a current or upcoming creative task you or your team are working on. List the existing or potential constraints that apply to it. Evaluate how they affect your creativity. Keep the ones that are helpful and eliminate or reduce the harmful ones.
⬩ Experiment with introducing new constraints to your creative task. Choose limitations that are relevant and meaningful for your job. Try different types of constraints such as resource, anchoring, or autonomy. Observe how they influence your creative thinking and output.
⬩ Share your experience and insights with others. Discuss how constraints have helped or hindered your creativity. Learn from others’ perspectives and practices. Seek feedback and suggestions on how to improve your use of constraints.
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🗣💬 Your Talking Points
Lead a team dialogue with these provocations
⬩ What examples of constraints have enhanced or hindered your creativity in the past? How did you cope with them?
⬩ What are some types of constraints that you find more stimulating or challenging for your creativity? Why?
⬩ How do you communicate and negotiate constraints with others? How do you handle conflicts or disagreements over constraints?
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🕳🐇 Down the Rabbit Hole
Still curious? Explore some further readings from my archive
Here are some of my articles about creativity and constraints.
⟶ 3 Activities to Help Your Team: Generate, Develop and Judge Ideas “There are hundreds of different activities you can use for generating and developing ideas. I thought I would share a trio that works well together. They each require a specific type of thinking or mindset to be successful. The three activities are good representative examples of Divergent, Emergent and Convergent thinking.”
⟶ Imagination, Augmented: How AI Can Be a Creativity Amplifier “The future of creativity is not just human or AI, but a blend of both, offering us a unique opportunity to reach new heights of creative potential.”
⟶ Finding the edges of your page “Not to be confused with restraint which is much more about self-control, constraint is about finding the edges of the page before you begin, it is about knowing what limits you have in terms of resources.”
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Thanks for reading. Drop me a note with any Kind, Specific and Helpful feedback about this issue. I always enjoy hearing from readers.
~ Tom Barrett
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The Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I write and create. I recognise their continuing connection and stewardship of lands, waters, communities and learning. I pay my respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and those who are emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
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