Creativity is essential in the current performance improvement environment. As learners are constantly bombarded with information, designing learning experiences that inspire and engage is a non-negotiable. At DevLearn 2024, keynote speaker Erik Wahl shared powerful insights on how L&D professionals can generate ideas to keep their work fresh and innovative. Here are five ways to boost your creativity and impact:
1. Think Differently – By disrupting traditional approaches and reimagining the ordinary, we can create moments that grab learners’ attention and inspire deeper engagement. The best content creators look for ways to defamiliarize the ordinary to make a greater impact.
2. Be Curious – Asking questions and challenging the status quo is the key to thinking critically about the best way to create and deliver learning. Intellectual curiosity can also help you solve complex design issues that arise during the course creation process.
3. Make Time – It’s easy to prioritize activities that lead to measurable outcomes like promotions, pay raises, or project completions. Setting aside intentional time for creative exploration can lead to breakthroughs that ultimately deliver long-term ROI.
4. Become Child-Like – As children, we naturally approached life with fresh eyes and endless imagination. As adults, we often suppress those instincts and need to figure out ways like writing in crayon or sketching out ideas to bring that child-like passion, creativity, and innovation back into our lives.
5. Don’t Solely Rely on Experience – While expertise and years of practice provide a strong foundation, they can also lead to fixed ways of thinking. Creativity requires blending knowledge with imagination to break free from “the way things have always been done.”
