Dear David,
You ask, "How will the idea of 'creativity' enable me to become a
better designer? I have an interest in this question, because I want
to do my job better so I can charge every higher fees for the work I
do, and because I would like to share some of my know-how with others
before I die, though not before I have become very rich."
I do not assert that the "idea of 'creativity'" will enable you to
become a better designer.
Ideas serve another purpose. The inquiry and analysis through which
we develop our ideas help us to think more fruitfully.
Some streams of creativity research can help designers and other
professionals to exercise judgment and skill more effectively.
This is true of research streams typified by such scholars as Robert
Sternberg, Ellen Langer, Ronald Finke, Thomas Ward, or Steven Smith.
It certainly applies to the heuristics of such scholars a G Polya,
Gerald Nadler, or Shozo Hibino. There are more. If you read the
literature, you will surely find them.
My approach will not help you to charge higher fees. The exercise of
wise judgment involves phronesis linked to social responsibility.
This is not a path to riches. It is a perspective anchored in my
vision of a good society.
I was once a millionaire, at least on paper. I lost my first brief
fortune by exercising wise judgment and social responsibility. I had
a predatory business partner who tried to rob our employees of their
profit-sharing plan. I made a fuss about it. This led to a legal
confrontation. In the ensuing conflict, my partner stole the company.
All the employees quit, and my ownership percentage became worthless.
My fortune lies in the fact that I did not become a millionaire at
the expense of my colleagues and employees. I later lost another
million or two in different and equally creative ways.
A friend of mine who is still a millionaire told me that
get-to-keep-your-cash millionaires go bankrupt an average of 4.5
times before their fortune stays in their pockets. I don't know if it
is true, but I never went bankrupt, not even once. Instead, I lost
money and I paid my debts, even when it took some years. That's
probably why I have none of my millions. After making a lot of money
for other people, I realized that my talents lie in research.
if you wish to get rich, you would do better to ask someone else.
Since I share what I know for the price of an email connection, I am
afraid I cannot help you to become very rich before you die.
Well, I do have one idea. I gather from an earlier post to this list
that one of our colleagues owes you money. Take a tip from Tony
Soprano and charge higher interest.
Yours,
Ken
--
Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
Department of Leadership and Organization
Norwegian School of Management
Visiting Professor
Advanced Research Institute
School of Art and Design
Staffordshire University
|