TEDx: Not finding a great idea, but solving the right problem

by | Apr 26, 2021

I’ve led over 1,000 Creative Problem Solving sessions over my 40-year career, and only once did what we originally think was the problem actually end up being the one that needed solving.

Some questions that we encounter in life only have one right answer: What’s the capital of Poland? Warsaw. What’s 2 + 2? Four. But in reality, we’ll all have to deal with problems that are more complex than that. That’s when it’s crucial to challenge our initial impression of what we think the problem is.

The first step of the Creative Problem Solving process is to clarify the problem, and that’s what I focus on in my TEDx Talk. Two keys to accomplishing this step are to ask creative questions and ask “What’s stopping me?”

“The language we use to describe a problem is going to dictate the kinds of ideas we generate.”

About Dr. Roger Firestien

Dr. Roger Firestien has presented programs on innovation to over 600 organizations around the world including Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, universities, associations, hospitals, and religious institutions.

Roger has written seven books and hundreds of articles on the creative process. His books include Why didn’t I think of that? and Create in a Flash. His latest book, Solve the REAL problem is available as an audiobook on Amazon.

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Books by Roger Firestien

Why Didn’t I Think of That?

A short story shedding an eye-opening light on our classic approaches to work and problem solving.

Create in a Flash

A book for leaders who know that to grow their organizations, they need to generate ideas and solutions on demand.

Solve the Real Problem

Redefining the problem saved thousands of heart attack victims, and saved the airlines over a billion dollars. Learn the simple approach for yourself.

Watch my TedX Talk

In my new TEDx talk, I share the go-to method I use to unlock ideas when inspiration runs dry.

How Roger Can Help:

Keynotes by Roger Firestien

Unleash the power of your creativity

You want everyone in our organization to know how to turn on their creativity at will instead of just waiting for new ideas to “happen.”

Roger’s interactive and inspiring keynote addresses will do exactly that.

Breakthrough Labs

Discover the real problems facing your organization and then generate hundreds of ideas for solving those problems with the Breakthrough Lab.

On-Demand Videos

You and your team are now only a click away from Dr. Firestien’s help to find the solution to any challenge with his nine-part video series on the OpenSesame Learning platform. Watch a trailer and learn more.

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