Making Creativity Part of Your DNA National Recreation & Park Association Conference September 2017 M. Michelle Bono michelle@bonocommunications.com

Creativity is the ability to look at the ordinary and see the extraordinary. Photojournalist Dewitt Jones

Learning Objectives Learn why creativity matters Understand the five essentials to building creativity Practice the power of positive language Build a creative team Make a personal commitment to focusing on creativity

We all have the ability to be creative Everyone can generate new ideas How we get there can be different What you see depends upon where you stand You can learn to be more creative If you are committed to the work

Why be creative? It’s fun It’s challenging It gets attention It builds confidence It produces results

https://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/Pi77Ydf0WmhoL7R

The Five Essentials to Building Creativity Adapted from Tina Seeling Knowledge Imagination Culture and Habitat Attitude Resources

Be Knowledgeable Read, surf the web, read NRPA emails, listen to TEDTalks Create an idea file Be an expert in your field Know your community Identify thought leaders; follow and interact with them Don’t let a title of supervisor keep you from learning from others

Use Your Imagination Identify what you want to accomplish Brainstorm with creative people Don’t include nay sayers (convince them later) Use the “What we’d never do” approach Look to current trends – music, news, TV shows, books, toys Laugh a lot!

https://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/lUxr5ODaHsk4BUs

Build the Right Culture and Habitat If you haven’t failed, you’re not trying hard enough Do you have a culture that allows failure? Do you celebrate what you learn when things don’t go as expected? Do you have a fun environment at work? Parks people have the best access to creative habitats – use them!

Have the Right Attitude Are you a puzzle builder or a quilt maker? Challenge assumptions – go beyond the first right answer Value diversity Have the drive, motivation and confidence to find new solutions Understand the power of positivity

That’s Right Bob! What We Can Learn From Improv

Have the Right Resources What resource first comes to mind? What about people – on your team and in your community? Demonstrate your effectiveness as an economic engine, health advocate, and community builder Be a leader in your corner of the world

Build a Creative Team Find reasons to celebrate team milestones Have a diverse team Ensure you spend more time listening instead of preparing to talk Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care

Michelle’s Top 10 Tips to Get Your Creativity Flowing Surround yourself with creative people Do something new that’s outside your routine Never start with a blank piece of paper and expect to write down a creative solution Create a “no judgement” rule and follow it Capture creative ideas of others – with a photo, or a link or in an idea file (lest we forget!)

Michelle’s Top 10 Tips to Get Your Creativity Flowing 6. Remind yourself that you have brilliant, creative ideas just waiting to come out 7. Spend time with kids 8. Treat “we’ve never done it before,” as words to inspire and motivate! 9. Make the time to laugh 10. Creativity is a muscle – exercise it daily

https://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/qp184P1PA2KzkeI

Creativity isn’t just about vision and passion Creativity isn’t just about vision and passion. It’s about technique and perseverance as well; a balance of emotion and intellect that springs from really caring about what you do, really caring about the people you work with and the projects you work on.” Photojournalist Dewitt Jones

Contact me: M. Michelle Bono 850.264.4233 Bono Communications & Marketing, LLC 850.264.4233 michelle@bonocommunications.com