John Cleese on Creativity [video+notes]
I have greatly enjoyed watching the very entertaining talk by John Cleese on Creativity.
Even if you’re in it only for the jokes, it’s worth 36 minutes of your life.
Seriously 
A few main takeaways from John’s talk:
1. Creativity is linked to the ability to Play.
2. People can be described in terms of two modes: Open and Closed.
Creativity is _not_ possible in the closed mode.
3. We mostly operate in the “closed” mode: filled with tention, purposeful, manic and not creative.
4. “Open” mood is marked by: being playful, less serious, relaxed, curious, etc.
5. Alexander Flemming discovered penicillin in the “open” mode – he became curious why the bacterial culture did not grow in one of the Petri dishes.
6. Hitchcock often used to tell random stories to relax people around him, claiming they tried too hard.
7. We need to be in the “open” mode when pondering a problem.
8. Once we find a solution, we must switch to the “close” mode – because it’s the best for “exectution” [Potr: this reminds me of key ideas on innovation and creativity from "Innovators Dilemma" by Clayton C. - great read BTW]
9. We too often get stuck in the “closed” mode, attaining a tunnel vision. This is particularly prevalent among politicians.
How many psychiatrist does it take to change the light bulb?
Only one…but the light bulb really needs to change.
10. The are conditions under which creativity can be released.
To attain the “open” mode you require:
a. SPACE
- You need to create space for your creativity to flourish.
b. TIME
- Pick a specific start and end time to your “creative” time. This will help you to seal yourself off from distractions.
- Play is secluded and marked by limitedness.
- Create an oasis for yourself by setting the boundaries of space and time. Become separate from everyday life just for a few moments.
- It’s easier to do trivial things which are not important, that to do important things. Therefore, clear off unimportant distractions.
- It takes some time for your mind to quiet down. 30 minutes is not enough for your creative time.
- Cleese suggest about 1 1/2 hour sessions.
- Take a break (e.g. for a week).
- Learn to tolerate the anxiety that
c. TIME
- Take your time to ponder on the most creative solution.
- When confronted with a problem, do NOT jump into the first solution. Stick with the problem for longer.
- The most creative proffesional played longer with the problem.
They were able to tollerate the slight discomfort of anxiety when we haven’t solved the problem yet.
- Don’t create an image of yourself as being “decisive” just for the sake of it. Coming with the solutions on the spot.
- Take your time to ponder the most creative solution. Then take decission. Once you take it. Stick with it!
- Give yourself MAXIMUM PONDERING TIME. This will lead you to the most creative solution.
- You don’t have to decise IMMEDIATELY.
- Give your TIME as long as possible to COME UP with something ORIGINAL.
d. CONFIDENCE
- Nothing will stop your creativity time like the fear of being wrong or the fear your failure.
- You can’t be spontaneous withing reason.”
- You have to risk saying things which are silly, illogical, wrong.
- During your creative time, there is never any idea that can be “wrong”.
e. HUMOUR/FUN
- Laughter brings relaxation.
- The difference between Serious vs. Solemn.
- What is the point of “solemnity”? Egotism? Pompousness? Laugh in the face of it! You don’t need it.
- Humour inspires and makes things cathartic.
- GIGGLE ALL YOU WANT!
Again. 5 things you need are:
SPACE
TIME
TIME
CONFIDENCE
an more Jeffery Archer!
11. Keep your mind resting against the subject. Gently bringing it back into focus. Take your time to ponder the problem.
And you’ll be rewarded 
12. It’s easy to be creative if you have other people to play with.
There is a danger though…avoid playing with people who make you feel defensive.
Play with people who you like and trust.
Never, ever negate what they say.Never say “no” or “wrong” or “I don’t like that”.
Always be positive. And build on what’s been said.
Instead, say:
“Would it be even better if…?”
“I don’t quite understand that…can you just explain it again?”
“Go on!”
“What if?”
“Let pretend…”
Try to establish as free an atmosphere as possible.
13. Japanese creativity – unstructured, lack of pressure, first people to give their views are the most junior - they can speak freely without contradicting what’s already been said by those more important.
14. Creativity is like humour…In a joke, the laugh comes at a moment when you connect two frames of reference.
15. Having a new idea is connecting to separate ideas that creates a NEW MEANING.
16. New connections are significant if they generate a new MEANING.
17. When you play, you can try randomly invent new juxtapositions. Then use your intuition to sense which are significant or meaningful.
18. Deliberately crazy connections can be called “intermediate impossibles”.
However stupid or wrong or absurd they seem, they are the stepping stones to an idea that is right.
If you really don’t know how to start or you get stuck , start generating random connections that may lead to some new ideas.
19. Finally: how to stop your subordinates from being creative.
Treat all humour as trivial or subversive.
Keeping ourselves feeling irreplaceable keeps everyone down…
Demand that people should be doing things all the time. Pondering leads to creativity.
Keep that moat closed.
So on and on
Enjoy!
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