Is the ability to creatively tackle problems innate or can it be learned? Like most human traits, both answers are correct. Some people are inherently more innovative than others. But, just like math, or writing, everyone can improve with practice. Tina Seelig, Ph.D. teaches creativity every day in her courses on innovation at Stanford School of Engineering. After ten years of experience, she confidently asserts that not only can creativity can be taught but that there are a clear set of tools, skills, and approaches that can unlock anyone's creative potential. In Ingenius, Seelig reminds us that creativity is not just something that you think about - it is something that you do. It is as natural as breathing, and just as necessary for leading a successful and fulfilling life. Creative solutions are required because the status quo is never good enough, and our goal should always be to push beyond the limits of what seems possible. Great ideas are needed to solve all the problems we face and to enrich our lives. Whether it is in the conference room, classroom, or kitchen, new ideas open up a world of wonderful possibilities. With the tools presented in the following chapters, we will learn how to pull out all stops to take on the challenges, big and small, that come our way, and to see that every word, every idea, and every moment provides an opportunity for creativity that will enhance our lives. The following chapters are filled with concepts, tools, techniques, and stories that reveal ways you can increase your creativity quotient, and that of your groups and organizations. The first half of the book focuses on the inside out - what you can personally do to increase your own creative aptitude and attitude. The second half deals with the outside in -- how you can change the local and cultural environment to increase the creativity quotient of your community. Ingenius reveals one of the great truths about ideas and that is it costs nothing to generate amazing ideas, and yet the results have the potential to be priceless.
