Imagination and Creativity at Work with Duncan Wardle
Feb 20, 2025
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Duncan Wardle, former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney and author of The Imagination Emporium, dives into the world of creativity. He discusses how to reawaken childhood curiosity and the importance of play in unlocking imagination. Wardle shares insights on the 'yes, and' mindset for innovation and how to escape limiting thought patterns. Drawing from his Disney experiences, he highlights the role of a creative culture in driving groundbreaking ideas and offers practical tools for fostering creativity in both personal and professional realms.
Adults often lose touch with their innate creativity due to societal norms, but practical exercises can help reclaim this imaginative potential.
A playful mindset is essential for fostering creativity at work, enabling individuals to shift from a restrictive mental state to one that encourages fresh ideas.
Creating a culture of innovation requires shared responsibility among all employees, promoting collaborative brainstorming through techniques like the 'yes, and' approach to idea generation.
Deep dives
Reclaiming Creativity
Many adults believe they are not creative, a misconception rooted in educational experiences that discourage imaginative thinking. Children naturally express creativity and curiosity, often asking endless questions, yet this ability diminishes as societal norms impose limitations on self-expression. To counter this decline, practical exercises can encourage adults to reconnect with their innate creativity, showcasing that even seemingly unskilled individuals can produce surprising results when given the freedom to think outside the box. Such activities demonstrate that deep within each person lies the potential for innovation and artistic expression, waiting to be rediscovered.
The Importance of Playfulness
Experiencing creativity often requires a playful mindset, which can be difficult to access in typical work environments. Superficially serious atmospheres may stifle imagination, as individuals get caught up in mundane tasks and rigid structures. Introducing brief energizer exercises, designed to make people laugh, can help shift the mental state from a restrictive 'beta' mode to a more open and innovative 'alpha' state. This shift allows individuals to tap into their subconscious, where fresh ideas flourish, similar to when they realize their best thoughts often come during activities like showering or exercising.
Shifting Organizational Culture
Embedding a culture of creativity and innovation within an organization requires systemic changes that promote expansive thinking. Traditional models often isolate innovation teams, implying that creativity is a task for a select few rather than a collective effort. Instead, organizations can benefit from shared responsibility by fostering an environment where every employee feels empowered to contribute ideas. Creating physical spaces, such as a 'greenhouse' for brainstorming, allows teams to openly explore new concepts without immediate criticism, thereby enhancing collaborative creativity.
Innovative Problem Solving Through Improv
Using principles from improvisational theater, one can enhance collaborative brainstorming by fostering a supportive dialogue that expands ideas instead of restricting them. Techniques such as the 'yes, and' approach facilitate a more inclusive atmosphere, promoting the growth of ideas rather than shutting them down. This method contrasts sharply with the restrictive 'no, because' mentality, which stifles innovation and critical thinking. By encouraging a culture of acceptance and exploration, teams can work together to develop ideas that incorporate diverse perspectives and insights, ultimately enhancing problem-solving capabilities.
The Role of Imagination in the Face of AI
As artificial intelligence automates many routine tasks, it also brings the opportunity for humans to focus on imaginative and creative problem-solving. The most valuable skills in the evolving workforce will be those that AI has difficulty replicating, such as empathy, intuition, and creativity. Emphasizing the importance of these human traits can position organizations to leverage AI as a tool that streamlines operations and opens up more room for innovative thinking. By redefining the relationship with AI as a partner in creativity rather than a competitor, businesses can unlock new levels of productivity and original thought.
I’m excited to welcome Duncan Wardle to the show to discuss his new book, The Imagination Emporium: The Creative Tools to Change the Way You Think. Duncan is a former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, a global speaker, and an expert in unlocking human imagination. His book presents practical tools for breaking free from conventional thinking and fostering creativity in work and life.
In this conversation, we cover:
Reawakening Creativity: Duncan explains why many adults believe they aren’t creative and how to reclaim the curiosity and imagination we had as children.
The Power of Play: He shares exercises designed to shift thinking patterns, open new mental pathways, and make creativity more accessible to everyone.
Yes, And vs. No, Because: Duncan introduces the mindset shift that can turn small ideas into big ones and create a culture of innovation.
Breaking Free from Mental Ruts: How to identify and escape “rivers of thinking” that limit problem-solving and fresh ideas.
Lessons from Disney: Drawing from his time at Disney, Duncan reveals how fostering an environment of creativity led to some of the company’s most innovative projects.
Duncan’s insights will inspire you to think differently, embrace playfulness, and use creative tools to generate groundbreaking ideas in any field.
