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June 14, 2005
More about apprentice mind
Posted by Renee Hopkins Callahan
Among the responses I got to the post on apprentice mind was one person who commented that the post affirmed his belief that it's essentially a waste of time to teach creativity skills, and one person who emailed me to affirm that he, along with Edward De Bono, believes that creativity skills *can* be taught.
I believe that too. And I didn't intend to say otherwise. However -- teaching someone creativity skills does not guarantee they'll understand how and when to use them. And, I think "apprentice mind" -- or something like it -- has to be present also.
A hallmark of Edward De Bono's thinking is that creativity is a "derailment," if you will, from established patterns of thinking -- which are not creative largely because they *are* established patterns of thinking. His creativity exercises are meant to derail those patterns so new ideas can emerge. Apprentice mind is something like a suspension of these established patterns of thinking and categorization. I think they feed each other. Put these two together -- creative skills and apprentice mind -- and there's power.
Also in response to that post, Greg Burton sent me a link to his post about an Ohio State University cognitive study whose results found adults did better remembering pictures of imaginary animals than they did remembering pictures of real cats because the fact that they could categorize cats allowed them to not pay attention to the individual pictures.
In the words of one of the study's authors, "The ability to categorize is often very helpful, but this study shows how it can lead people to ignore individual details...The results show how some types of memory might be better when people forget what they know and instead approach a subject with a child-like sense of naïveté."
I'm seeing apprentice mind as the willingness and ability to approach -- a problem, a product, a person, the world itself -- without applying the filter of your existing knowledge to it. When I was a reporter, I learned to ask questions even when I already thought I knew the answers. When I moderate focus groups and conduct depth interviews, I approach people as if I don't know anything about the subject they are going to talk about. In both cases, suspending prior knowledge is the only way to find out what you don't know you don't know. Apprentice mind.
Comments (5)
| Category: Apprentice Mind
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Renee Hopkins Callahan started IdeaFlow and serves as chief blog-wrangler. She is 
1. Koen van der Wal on June 15, 2005 4:22 PM writes...
I tried to comment on your post in 'do-it-yourself-economy', but was not allowed there. Try it here
I've just started a weblog which is closely linked to this subject. The May-issue of www.trendwatching.com called 'Consumer Made' also provides a nice overview of this trend
Permalink to Comment2. Greg Burton on June 15, 2005 4:59 PM writes...
Regarding apprentice mind and skills - I'm enamoured with the Gallup StrengthsFinder concepts. Looking at "creative skills" from this standpoint, we wouldn't be "learning creative skills" as much as "developing inherent talents". A brainstorming technique can be applied in both models, but I suspect that the second model would be more successful.
One "problem" with the strengthsfinder approach is that one needs to assume that not all people have all talents. I show up as strongly strategic, and Buckingham et al are pretty clear they believe this is an inherent way of thinking that can't be taught. It's been a struggle to accept that, but I've noticed that when I do accept it, I know longer expect everyone to think the same way I do.
More comments on my site - this is an interesting discussion :)
G
Permalink to Comment3. irelanderingobraugh on June 16, 2005 6:24 AM writes...
We have been discussing these issues on creative nation group. I said that the less knowledge,existing theories, etc. that you have of an industry or problem the less constrained your thinking. it's like when you "see" the dalmation in the leaves illusion, its hard then to see anything else there. Another technique i use is similar to a Debono type, is to create new routes of thinking by putting together illogical conflicting, sometimes opposite words. After all Einstein said invention is the process of illogical thought, and "traveling picture" become's television. Portable sound became the transister radio etc.
Permalink to Comment4. Renee Hopkins Callahan on June 16, 2005 2:58 PM writes...
Greg -- I haven't heard of StrengthFinder before this. I've just looked at it and it looks like something I want to play with. irelanderingobraugh: what is the "creative nation" group? I haven't heard of it, and am curious. Thanks!
Permalink to Comment5. irelanderingobraugh on June 16, 2005 5:25 PM writes...
Hi Renee, it is a business networking group on ryze.com it is free to join. It was started by David Keig an international businessman and poet. It consists of all manner of people in creative industry and some that are just interested in learning more. There are ad and marketing pros, artists, designers, musicians, poets, m.b.a.'s, m.f.a.'s ,c.e.o.'s, etc. I am co-moderator it was originally about Australia, but we've evolved into general discussions about creativity in business mainly.
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