Tips and techniques for creative thinking at work

At a time where organisations are challenged to innovate, adapt and do more with less, creative thinking has become a critical skill. Creative thinking is not just for designers or marketing teams, but for everyone. Whether you are leading a department, solving a complex operational issue, or seeking ways to improve employee engagement, creative thinking helps unlock fresh perspectives and new solutions.

But creativity at work doesn’t happen by accident. It can be cultivated and strengthened using proven techniques that guide teams to think beyond the obvious. In this article, we explore how to use creative thinking techniques effectively in a work environment, along with practical examples and advice for embedding them into everyday practice.

Why creative thinking matters at work

Creative thinking is often misunderstood as being purely “artistic.” In fact, it’s about approaching problems differently, connecting ideas in unexpected ways, and challenging conventional assumptions. Organisations that encourage creativity tend to be more agile, more resilient, and more attractive to talent.

Consider these examples:

• A customer service team reimagines its feedback system and boosts satisfaction by 25%.
• A project team uses brainstorming techniques to streamline an approval process, cutting turnaround times in half.
• A leadership group applies lateral thinking to reshape strategy and find new market opportunities.

Each of these outcomes came from structured creative thinking, not random bursts of inspiration. The following techniques show how to make that mindset practical, repeatable and inclusive. They feature in our own practical and hands on Creative Thinking and Problem Solving training.

1. Mind mapping: seeing the bigger picture

When to use it: At the start of a project, when exploring ideas, or when trying to solve a complex problem.

A mind map starts with a central concept e.g. ‘customer experience’ in the middle of a page. From there, you branch out with related topics like ‘feedback’, ‘training’, ‘technology’ or ‘process improvement’. Each of these can have sub-branches, revealing new layers of connection.

Why it works:

Mind mapping mirrors how the brain naturally makes associations. It helps you visualise patterns that might otherwise remain hidden in lists or spreadsheets.

Example:

A marketing team mapping out a campaign might start with the core theme “brand awareness.” Sub-branches could include ‘digital channels’, ‘events’, ‘social media’, and ‘partnerships’. As the map develops, new combinations emerge – such as hosting a joint event that also becomes a social media feature. This is an idea that might not have surfaced through traditional, linear planning.

Tip:

Use digital tools like Miro or MindMeister to make mind maps collaborative, especially for teams who work remotely.

2. The SCAMPER Technique: Improving What Already Exists

When to use it: To enhance existing products, services or processes.

SCAMPER is a structured checklist that prompts you to rethink something familiar:

Substitute: What materials, people, or steps could we replace?

Combine: What can we merge to create synergy?

Adapt: What can we borrow or modify from another context?

Modify: What can we change in shape, colour, or meaning?

Put to another use: How else could this serve a purpose?

Eliminate: What could we remove or simplify?

Reverse: What happens if we invert the process?

Example:

A training department applies SCAMPER to redesign the company’s onboarding programme. By eliminating redundant paperwork, combining compliance training with cultural induction and adapting gamified elements from other courses, they create a more engaging and efficient experience.

Tip:

Run SCAMPER as a group exercise. Assign each letter to small breakout teams and then share results for cross-pollination of ideas.

3. The Six Thinking Hats: structured team decision-making

When to use it: When a group needs to make balanced decisions or explore an idea from all angles.

Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats technique encourages parallel thinking — everyone focuses on one type of thinking at a time, rather than arguing different perspectives simultaneously. The six hats represent:

White hat: Facts, data, and information

Red hat: Feelings, intuition, and emotion

Black hat: Risks, caution, and what could go wrong

Yellow hat: Optimism and benefits

Green hat: Creativity and new ideas

Blue hat: Process control and summary

Example:

When deciding whether to introduce flexible working, a management team uses the hats sequentially. Under the White Hat, they review productivity data; under the Red Hat, they express concerns about team cohesion; under the Green Hat, they brainstorm creative ways to maintain collaboration. The result is a well-rounded decision supported by collective insight.

Tip:

This method works best with a facilitator who keeps the discussion moving and ensures equal participation.

4. Reverse Brainstorming: flipping the problem

When to use it: When you feel stuck or when solutions seem repetitive.

Instead of asking, ‘How can we solve this problem?’, you ask, ‘How could we make this problem worse?’. By intentionally thinking negatively, you uncover overlooked issues or hidden assumptions.

Example:

A team struggling with low employee engagement asks, “How could we make engagement even worse?” Responses include ‘Ignore feedback’, ‘Cancel team meetings’ and ‘Set unrealistic goals’. When reversed, these ideas generate a practical plan: ‘Act on feedback’, ‘Improve communication’ and ‘Set achievable objectives’.

Tip:

Reverse brainstorming works well for risk identification in project planning or change management.

5. The “What If?” Technique: challenging assumptions

When to use it: For innovation, strategy, or exploring future possibilities.

Ask a series of imaginative ‘What if…’ questions to free your thinking from current constraints.

Examples to ask:

• What if our budget doubled?
• What if customers designed our service?
• What if we could only operate online?
• What if we started from scratch?

Example:

A logistics company facing fuel cost increases asked, ‘What if we couldn’t use vehicles at all?’. This led them to explore bicycle deliveries in urban areas, which later became a successful sustainability initiative.

Tip:

Encourage boldness. The point isn’t to find realistic answers at first. Instead, this technique is to provoke new ideas that can later be refined.

6. Role Storming: thinking from another perspective

When to use it: To overcome creative blocks or group inertia.

In role storming, participants brainstorm ideas from someone else’s point of view – perhaps a customer, a competitor or a famous innovator.

Example:

During a product development meeting, one participant asks, ‘What would Apple do? Another considers, ‘How would a customer with no technical knowledge view this? By adopting different mindsets, the team generates a wider range of solutions.

Tip:

This technique works particularly well in training workshops. Encourage participants to exaggerate their roles to spark creativity.

7. Forced Connections: combining the unrelated

When to use it: To stimulate original ideas or innovation.

Take two seemingly unrelated things and explore how they might connect. For example, ‘How is our onboarding process like a first date?’ or ‘What could our finance team learn from a music festival?’

Example:

A hotel chain applied this technique by linking ‘guest experience’ with ‘theatre performance’. They realised that, like actors, staff needed to ‘rehearse’ interactions to create memorable moments. This insight led to a successful service training programme.

Tip:

Use random word generators or objects (like cards or magazine pictures) to make connections less predictable.

8. The Five Whys: getting to the root cause

When to use it: To understand underlying problems before generating solutions.

Start with a challenge and ask Why? repeatedly (around five times) until you reach the root cause.

Example:

• Why are customers unhappy? → Because of long waiting times.
• Why are waiting times long? → Because staff are overloaded.
• Why are they overloaded? → Because the system is slow.
• Why is it slow? → Because updates are delayed.
• Why are updates delayed? → Because no one owns that responsibility.

The creative solution? Redesign ownership and streamline system management — rather than simply hiring more staff.

Tip:

Use this technique alongside others like mind mapping to visualise cause-and-effect relationships.

9. Random Word Technique: breaking through blocks

When to use it: To trigger inspiration when the team is stuck.

Pick a random word e.g. ‘ocean’ and brainstorm ways it relates to your problem. ‘Depth’, ‘flow’, ‘ecosystem’, or ‘waves’ might all inspire metaphors that unlock new directions.

Example:

A team trying to improve internal communication used the random word ‘bridge’. This led to the idea of ‘bridging gaps’ between departments. As a result, a new internal newsletter was created.

Tip:

It’s particularly useful in marketing, design or communications work where metaphors drive creativity.

10. Future Backwards: visionary yet practical thinking

When to use it: For strategic planning or long-term transformation.

Imagine it’s five years from now and your team has achieved extraordinary success. Then, work backwards: What steps did you take to get there? Who was involved? What had to change?

Example:

A charity used this technique to envision its ideal future — doubling its impact by 2030. Working backwards helped it identify milestones for partnerships, funding, and digital transformation.

Tip:

Use visual boards to trace the journey from ‘future success to ‘present reality’. It helps teams align around a shared vision.

Embedding creative thinking into your everyday work

Knowing the techniques is one thing but using them consistently is another. Creativity thrives when the environment supports it. Here are some ways to build a creative culture:

1. Make Time for Creativity

Schedule short ‘innovation sprints’ or ‘idea huddles’. Even 30 minutes a week can energise a team’s thinking.

2. Create Psychological Safety

People won’t share bold ideas if they fear judgment. Leaders play a vital role in showing curiosity, not criticism.

3. Encourage Diversity of Thought

Include people from different roles, backgrounds, and personality types in brainstorming sessions. Variety fuels creativity.

4. Reward Experimentation

Celebrate creative efforts - even those that fail. Innovation requires risk, and learning from mistakes is essential.

5. Link Creativity to Purpose

Make it clear how creative thinking contributes to business goals. When employees see impact, motivation rises.

Summary

Creativity at work isn’t just for ‘creative’ jobs. It’s a core competence for the modern workplace by helping people to adapt, innovate, and find meaning in their work. By applying techniques such as mind mapping, SCAMPER, and the Six Thinking Hats, teams can transform abstract creativity into tangible business results.

The key is to make creative thinking a habit, not a one-off workshop. Encourage curiosity, reward exploration, and equip your people with tools that spark imagination. When creativity becomes part of the culture, innovation follows naturally, and so does organisational success.

Paul Beesley 

Director and Senior Consultant, Beyond Theory 

Related blog articles: 

Problem solving – getting to the root cause 

Groupthink – what it is and how to avoid it 

Communication skills – listen to what is not being said as well as what is being said