This course explores the pivotal role of creativity and innovation in the entrepreneurial process. It equips participants with the skills and mindset necessary to generate and implement novel ideas that drive business growth and success. Through theoretical foundations and practical applications, participants will:

• Understand the nature and process of ideation and opportunity discovery.
• How to harness their creative potential, develop innovative solutions, and translate these into viable business opportunities.
• Determine the role of ideation related to the processes of problem solving, discovering/creating new opportunities, design, and innovation! 
• Employ and evaluate the utility of a wide variety of ideation and creative models and structures within different contexts and processes.
• Identify the importance of concepts, tools and models related to team building and performance when engaging in creative and/or innovative activities. 
• Explore, strategize, and implement ideation and creativity models by engaging in the processes related to developing new products/services/programs/opportunities.

Content

• Introductions

The Intersection of Creativity and Ordinary Thinking

• How the mind works:

 - Type 1 and Type 2 thinking (right and left brain thinking)

- Problem solving and creativity - Risk, reward, and rationality

• Definitions of Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Design and Innovation
• Divergent Thinking
• Effective Teams

Creative Problem Solving – A Broad Perspective

• Principals of Design
• Developing a Creative Work Environment and Team
• Overcoming Creativity Blocks
• Design Thinking Methodology and Process 
• Intercultural and ethical competency
• Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

Training Methodology

The training methodology combines lectures, discussions, group exercises and illustrations. Participants will gain both theoretical and practical knowledge of the topics. The emphasis is on the practical application of the topics and as a result participant will go back to the workplace with both the ability and the confidence to apply the techniques learned to their duties.