Americans at Their Best*

Band leader Valarie Vigoda, U.S. Army ROTC/National Guard 1984-1995

One of the things I have the opportunity to do at the Chamber is teach a class on creative problem solving. This is not our most popular course … but I try not to take that personally. I think it's not popular because:

A. People don't understand what it's about.
B. People don't want to take time to solve a problem "creatively."
C. No one wants to pay a fee to learn to problem solve.
D. People don't believe you can be taught to solve problems more effectively.

I can't do much about B-D, but I can help with A. Just about every decision you make involves some level of creativity. When was the last time you hammered in a nail with a shoe? Have you ever used a paper clip for something other than clipping paper together? And don't even get me started on the 101 uses of duct tape, aside from its least common use – taping ducts.

Velcro was inspired by the cocklebur. Eli Whitney was inspired to invent the cotton gin after watching a cat pluck at a chicken through a fence – the paw full of feathers apparently reminded him of cotton fibers. The adhesive used on Post-It ™ notes was invented four years before anyone found a use for it – and inspiration came while singing in the church choir, not posting a note in the office.

There are techniques you can learn to help you be creative. There are simple things you can do regularly to teach yourself to be more open to possibilities. There are challenges you can intentionally create just to see how many different ways you can overcome them.

What, you have too many challenges already to bother manufacturing new ones? All the more reason to practice solving them. The more you practice, the better you get.

I have wanted to do a story for several years about our civilian soldiers. I've tried a few concepts, but nothing fell into place. In February 2004 I saw this picture (above) in a magazine. It was part of an ad for the US Army National Guard. "My story idea is here somewhere" I thought and put the ad in my "Ideas" file where I would run across it occasionally. Looking at things in a different way – upside down, close up, from a distance – is a creative problem solving technique. The end result is this issue's cover story on page ?? … and it only took me six years to figure it out. (Hey, it took 10 years for the Post-It note to make it to market.)

We all want to demonstrate our support of the troops who give up so much to serve our country. Making that relevant in the context of a business magazine is what stumped me…until now.

Until next issue,

Gail Ivers, Editor
Business Central Magazine

*A slogan of the US Army and Air National Guard