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Tag: Innovation

  • How Are You Creative?

    Creativity is often thought of as the ability to paint, write poetry, or compose music. But creativity is much more universal and accessible than that. It’s about how we solve problems, see connections, and express ourselves uniquely. So, how are you creative? Let’s explore.

    Creativity in Everyday Life

    Being creative doesn’t mean you have to be an artist or inventor. It could mean:

    • Problem-Solving: Finding new ways to save time or fix an issue at work.
    • Cooking: Experimenting with flavours and ingredients in the kitchen.
    • Relationships: Finding meaningful ways to connect with others, like planning thoughtful surprises.
    • Organisation: Designing a more efficient system to keep your day-to-day life running smoothly.

    The Science of Creativity

    Creativity is rooted in the brain’s ability to connect contrasting ideas. It’s not only a talent you’re born with, but, it’s also a skill that can be developed. Studies show that creativity flourishes in environments where curiosity and playfulness are encouraged.

    Encouraging Your Creativity

    If you don’t feel creative, it might be time to challenge that assumption. Here’s how you can start:

    1. Welcome Curiosity: Ask “why” and “what if” questions often.
    2. Experiment: Take on hobbies like writing, painting, coding, or photography.
    3. Break Routine: Try new activities or take a different route to work.
    4. Collaborate: Exchange ideas with others—creativity often flourishes in groups.

    Why Creativity Matters

    Creativity helps you adapt to change, solve complex problems, and express your uniqueness. In a world of conventionality, creativity is your superpower.

    So, how are you creative? Whether it’s in your work, relationships, or personal projects, your unique way of thinking is your brand of genius. Celebrate it, take care of it, and let it grow.

  • For a More Creative Brain, Follow These 5 Steps

    Many people think creativity is a special gift for only a few. But actually, it’s a skill anyone can learn and grow. If you’re an artist, scientist, entrepreneur, or just want more creativity, there are clear steps to boost your creative brain. Here are five effective strategies to help you enhance your creativity:

    1. Embrace Curiosity: Curiosity is the driving force behind creativity. It’s the insatiable desire to explore, learn, and discover new things. Cultivate curiosity by seeking out new experiences, asking questions, and challenging assumptions. Try new things, like activities you’re not used to. Explore different cultures, read different kinds of books, or learn something new. Stay open-minded and embrace uncertainty. It can lead to surprising insights and breakthroughs.
    2. Practice mindfulness: It means being aware of the present moment without judging it. It helps quiet the noise of everyday life and allows your mind to tap into its creative potential. Include mindfulness practices like meditation, deep breathing, or just pausing to enjoy your surroundings every day. It helps calm your mind and tune into your thoughts and feelings, making it easier for creative ideas to come.
    3. Stimulate divergent thinking: It means coming up with lots of ideas or solutions to a problem. To stimulate divergent thinking, engage in activities that encourage brainstorming and free association. Make time for creative brainstorming sessions. No idea is too crazy. Try methods like mind mapping, word association, or lateral thinking puzzles to break free from the usual ways of thinking and find new ideas. Remember, the goal is to quantity ideas first, then refine and test them later.
    4. Embrace failure: It’s a normal part of being creative. But it’s also a chance to learn and grow. Instead of fearing failure, embrace it as a natural and necessary step on the path to success. Adopt a growth mindset: See setbacks as temporary challenges, not impossible problems. Celebrate failures—they show you’re being creative and getting closer to your goals. Learn from failures to improve your ideas. Don’t hesitate to change direction or try a new approach.
    5. Create a creative environment: Where you are and who you’re with can affect how creative you feel. Surround yourself with inspiring people who support and encourage your creative pursuits. Make a creative workspace. Have lots of natural light, comfy chairs, and few distractions. Try different things like music, art, or being outside to get inspired and feel good. Take breaks often and do things that make you feel creative, like walking, drawing, or dreaming.

    To sum up, creativity is a skill you can improve with practice and by changing how you think. By being curious, mindful, open to new ideas, okay with failing, and making a creative space, you can unlock your full creative potential and think up new ideas in exciting ways. So, go ahead, unleash your creativity, and see where it takes you!

  • Self-Driven Women Take The Wheel In Autonomous Tech Industry

    The self-driving vehicle industry may be young, just a bit over a decade old, but already a meaningful trend is taking shape: it’s proving to be more open to women CEOs and founders–including women of colour–than the broader tech industry and for U.S. companies generally.

    With this week’s news that Waabi founder and CEO Raquel Urtasun raised $83.5 million in a Series A round for her Toronto-based startup, three out of 12 leading autonomous technology companies in North America are now led by women. What’s more, in a time when companies across all industries are working to improve diversity, two of the women leading self-driving tech companies, Zoox CEO Aicha Evans and Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, are Black. 

    “I’ve been excited to see the number of women interested in autonomous technology. There’s an appreciation for what it can do for people, what it’s going to unlock,” says Alisyn Malek, who left General Motors to cofound autonomous shuttle startup May Mobility in 2017 (and is currently executive director of the Washington-based Commission on the Future of Mobility). “The talent pool that AV can pull from is broader because we’ve never done it before.”

    Malek, who’s had extensive experience working with venture capital firms during her time at May Mobility and as GM’s head of Innovation Pipeline, is particularly impressed with Urtasun’s large funding round for Waabi, among the biggest for any autonomous vehicle startup.

    “Raquel’s story stands out uniquely because she was able to pitch a new company,” Malek says. “Getting that first round is the hardest. Seeing if she’s able to be successful going forward will be interesting to watch.”

    Women holding approximately a quarter of the top management jobs at autonomous tech companies surpassed the estimated 8.2% of women CEOs at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies as of February 2021, according to a study by the Women’s Business Collaborative. The same report also found that less than 1% of CEOs at companies surveyed were women of colour.

    Among U.S. startups, approximately 40% have at least one woman in a senior management role, though only 14% have a woman CEO, according to Silicon Valley Bank’s 2020 Women in US Technology Leadership survey.