Kitcatt Nohr Digitas

More than a few sacred cows were ushered towards the barbecue when Professor Jonathan Plucker spoke at Kitcatt Nohr last week. The noted educationalist and thinker singled out brainstorms and back-to-basics teaching as leading creativity-crushers.

Urbane, quietly spoken, but not afraid of controversy, Dr Plucker is Professor of Educational Psychology and Cognitive Science at Indiana University. His work became more broadly known after Newsweek cited him in its cover story on the growing ‘creativity gap’ in America.

In conversation with Planning Director Richard Madden, Dr Plucker revealed that recent research shows brainstorms can be less effective as methods of idea generation than just sitting alone with a pencil and paper. ‘Brainstorms tend to tram-line people too quickly. You say ‘wheel’ and someone says ‘car’. Suddenly no one can think of anything except locomotion’. 

Professor Plucker also expanded on his recent study which shows childhood creativity is more predictive of later career success than intelligence. ‘You obviously need to know stuff to be creative with. But the figures are conclusive. A highly creative child is three times more likely to succeed in their career than a highly intelligent one.’

Asked to give hints on ways to improve the creative output of a team, Professor Plucker pointed to the importance of environment and culture. ‘The biggest creativity-killer of all is the phrase ‘that’s not how we do things round here’. Creative people tend to be rebels. That doesn’t mean they have to look that way. Some of the most creative people I’ve ever known wear a suit and tie every day.’

We will be posting a video digest of Professor Plucker’s talk very soon. In the meantime, you can listen to him on the subject of creativity in popular music here.

You can also read more about his work in Richard Madden’s original Marketing Week article here.