Creativity is boundless and therefore cannot be defined. No one knows exactly how it arises, but it is known that changes in perspective and viewpoint can foster it. It is very difficult to be creative without external stimuli.

As a communication trainer, I often notice that participants find it difficult to let go of their thinking patterns. This is not always bad, but sometimes it is more important to be open to new ideas and to be creative. A walk can help because it can provide new mental stimuli. Similarly, a shower (as mentioned earlier) can be a good opportunity to experience breakthroughs in thinking.

I found organising walks or group showers during training sessions to be excessive. Instead, I introduced so-called ‘prompts.’ In this case, these are short remarks or questions that relate to the theme being thought about but are not immediately obvious.

Miles Davis provided the inspiration for this method. When his band members got stuck in their improvisations, he would play a short interlude. This freed them up, allowing them to continue (for a long time!) improvising.

Just like with Miles Davis's band members, this method also works with participants in training sessions. The prompts with the best effectiveness form the basis for go-PARALLAX. I have refined and adapted them for a different use case: where breakthroughs in individual thought processes are needed.

Therefore: Think Deeper, Decide Smarter.

Rob van der Laak