A Four Day Workshop presented by
Elizabeth Monroe-Cook, PhD, Monroe-Cook & Associates and
Benjamin F. Wechsler, Innovation Strategies, Benjamin Wechsler, Inc.

Thinking Anew: Creative Thinking & Balancing Polarities combines the Osborne-Parnes model of Creative Problem Solving and the Johnson's Polarity Management™ into a comprehensive course for executives exploring new avenues for employment, in career transition, or profession expression.

Course Objectives:

• Introduce and practice processes and applications of the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) 6-step process
• Introduce and practice principles and applications of the Polarity Management™ approach
• Introduce and practice blogging as a method of self-discovery and tool for networking

Course Outline:

Day 1

• Definitions of creativity and creative thinking
• Two forms of thinking needed for creativity: divergent and convergent
• The Objective finding step – identifying the general area or issue to work on
• Is it a problem to solve or a polarity to manage?
• The Data or Fact finding step – identifying what is important to know
• Diverge and Converge as a sample polarity
• Past-Present and Future PM map for individual participants

• The Problem or Challenge finding step – identifying the specific issue or challenge for which ideas are needed
• Polarity perspective and setting up a series of challenge or problem statements
• The Idea Finding step – the power of making unexpected connections
• Stability and Change as a sample of a life-transition polarity
• The role of journaling / blogging for self-discovery

• The Solution Finding step – selecting and strengthening solutions
• Analysis and Action polarity
• The Acceptance Finding step – identifying the plan for action
• Polarity perspective – identifying the warning signs for over-focusing on the solution(s)
• The role of blogging for networking and marketing

• Putting it all together – the six CPS steps on another issue or objective
• FourSight instrument – what are your thinking style preferences?
• Identifying additional polarities to be managed over time

• Coaching appointments – individual or small-group work with action plans
• Final event – catered dinner for attendees and guest with speaker

About the Instructors

Elizabeth Monroe-Cook, Ph.D.

Liz is a consulting psychologist who works with individuals, teams and organizations to increase their effectiveness through creativity, communication and balanced analysis and action.  Her work includes research, strategic planning, facilitation, training and executive coaching. She is a member of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF) and serves on the faculty for CEF's annual Creative Problem Solving Institute.  She has worked with Barry Johnson and others of Polarity Management Associates. Grateful for the opportunity to work with individuals and groups from a lot of different organizations, both corporate and nonprofit, she has learned to apply multiple perspectives, and to help others seek practical and sustainable solutions.

Benjamin F. Wechsler

Ben Wechsler is an innovation strategist and President of Benjamin Wechsler, Inc., in Chicago. Through his work, organizations and individuals have become more aware of their inherent intellectual capital, business intelligence, and business processes so that strategies can be prepared with greater alignment and integrity. Ben uniquely combines his skills as a certified knowledge manager, creative problem solver, educator, web design strategist, and musician. As a result of his work, an organization strategically created a web site that established its industry leadership while simultaneously unifying its corporate culture; a world class dance company created an online marketing campaign that creatively aligned its artistic integrity equally to diverse targeted markets and its established audience. Ben has assisted professionals identify and understand their thinking preferences and experience, using this awareness for creating strategies for career advancement, thought leadership, or professional speaking projects.

If you are interested in this workshop, please send your contact information and any questions to info@benwechsler.com.