John Aderibigbe

At every point in life for individual or organisation, there is the need for creative solutions to problems. That is why creativity is the key skills to change the course of our lives.

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To identify external opportunities and obstacles facing you or the organization. To identify your strengths and weaknesses. To discuss additions to this analysis

STRENGHT

WEAKNESS

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

What advantages do you have that others don't have (for example, skills, certifications, education, or connections)? What do you do better than anyone else? What personal resources can you access? What do other people (and your boss, in particular) see as your strengths? Which of your achievements are you most proud of? What values do you believe in that others fail to exhibit? Are you part of a network that no one else is involved in? If so, what connections do you have with influential people? Tip: Think about your strengths in relation to the people around you.

 What tasks do you usually avoid because you don't feel confident doing them? What will the people around you see as your weaknesses? Are you completely confident in your education and skills training? If not, where are you weakest? What are your negative work habits (for example, are you often late, are you disorganized, do you have a short temper, or are you poor at handling stress? Do you have personality traits that hold you back in your field? For instance, if you have to conduct meetings on a regular basis, a fear of public speaking would be a major weakness.

In what ways can you maximise your strengths? What opportunities are open to those who do these things well? What new technology can help you? Or can you get help from others or from people via the Internet? Is your industry growing? If so, how can you take advantage of the current market? Do you have a network of strategic contacts to help you, or offer good advice? What trends (management or otherwise) do you see in your company, and how can you take advantage of them? Is there a need in your company or industry that no one is filling? Tips: look at your strengths, and ask yourself whether these open up any opportunities and look at your weaknesses, and ask yourself whether you could open up opportunities by eliminating those weaknesses.

 Networking events, educational classes, or conferences. A colleague going on an extended leave. Could you take on some of this person's projects to gain experience? A new role or project that forces you to learn new skills, like public speaking or international relations. A company expansion or acquisition. Do you have specific skills (like a second language) that could help with the process?

 What weakness needs to be addressed before you can move forward? What implications would these threats have if not checked? What obstacles do you currently face at work? Are any of your colleagues competing with you for projects or roles? Is your job (or the demand for the things you do) changing? Does changing technology threaten your position? Could any of your weaknesses lead to threats?

POLITICAL

ECONOMIC

Opportunity SOCIAL-CULTURAL

Threats Opportunity

Threats

YO U

TECHNOLOGY

Opportunity

Threats Opportunity

Threats

Which of these strength and opportunities would aid creativity? Which of the weakness and threats would hinder your creativity? Proffer solutions to any of the above hindrances?

A company selling high quality audio equipment considers offering something extra when hi-fi installation is sold. Its aim is to turn the stagnating sales around with this incentive. At present its incentive is to provide impeccable service, but this apparently no longer delivers the desired results. What ideas could you give this company while considering:
Incentives client would appreciate Should the incentive be related to audio equipment How should the incentive be presented.

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Brainstorming Observation Thinking Tips of an Iceberg R&D Customers

Concept Fan

The 4 Ps Approach This relies on looking at a problem from different perspectives within a business. The 4 Ps approach looks at problems from the following viewpoints: Product perspective: Is there something wrong with the product? Planning perspective: Are our business plans or marketing plans at fault? Potential perspective: If we were to seriously increase our targets, how would we achieve these increases? People perspective: Why do people choose one product over another?

Another approach to using a reframing matrix is to look at the problem from the viewpoints of different specialists. The way, for example, that a doctor looks at a problem would be different from the approach a civil engineer would use. This would be different from a sales manager's perspective.

White Hat: With this thinking hat, you focus on the data available. Look at the information you have, and see what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take account of them. This is where you analyze past trends, and try to extrapolate from historical data. Red Hat: Wearing the red hat, you look at the decision using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. Also try to think how other people will react emotionally, and try to understand the intuitive responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning. Black Hat: When using black hat thinking, look at things pessimistically, cautiously and defensively. Try to see why ideas and approaches might not work. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan or course of action. It allows you to eliminate them, alter your approach, or prepare contingency plans to counter problems that arise. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action.

Yellow Hat: The yellow hat helps you to think positively. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it, and spot the opportunities that arise from it. Green Hat: The Green Hat stands for creativity. This is where you can develop creative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas. Blue Hat: The Blue Hat stands for process control. This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings. When running into difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking, and so on.

Thank you