New York, NY 2/21/2011 – Innovative thinking and effective creative problem solving strategies are the defining qualities of today’s most successful advertising and marketing agencies. So to help its member agencies remain at the top of their industry, Worldwide Partners, Inc., the world’s largest international network of owner-operated advertising and marketing communications companies, will feature SmartStorming Brainstorm Leadership Training at its upcoming Second Annual Creative Summit, to be held in Krakow, Poland, on March 2-4, 2011.

SmartStorming is an advanced group idea-generation system that eliminates the fundamental weaknesses of traditional brainstorming. The only brainstorm leadership training of its kind, SmartStorming transforms workshop participants into brainstorming experts, armed with a range of problem solving techniques, creative thinking exercises, brainstorming activities and leadership skills necessary for planning and leading highly effective brainstorms.

“When you think about it, what is brainstorming? It’s the first, essential step in the innovation process,” said Mitchell Rigie, partner and co-founder of SmartStorming LLC. “Unfortunately many companies don’t have a clue how to brainstorm effectively. It’s estimated that over 90 percent of the people leading brainstorms, in any industry, have had no training whatsoever in how to do it.”

Attendees at the upcoming WPI Creative Summit will soon be among the other 10 percent. Workshop participants will learn SmartStorming’s systematic, step-by-step process for planning and leading highly effective brainstorms. Topics include: how to pre-plan sessions for greater success, how to stock the creative pond, how to manage challenging personalities, a wide range of creative problem solving activities and how to select only the very best ideas.

“This is the first time SmartStorming training will be offered outside the U.S. It’s really an exciting opportunity to share our system, that’s already being used by leading agencies in New York, with this outstanding global network of agencies,” said Keith Harmeyer, Rigie’s partner at SmartStorming.

To learn more about SmartStorming and Worldwide Partners, Inc., visit SmartStorming.com and WorldwidePartners.com.

Allan Snyder and his amazing thinking cap creation

If you are one of the many people who consider themselves “creatively challenged,” take heart! There is hope for you yet!

Reported today in The Sun, scientists have finally created a real live “thinking cap.” That’s right – a device that works by “zapping electricity through the brain” in order to suppress more logical, linear “left brain” thinking and, therefore, enhance “right brain” creative activity.

Huh! Go figure!

According to the article, the device “was inspired by accident victims who experienced a sudden surge in creativity after damaging the left side of their brains.” WHOA! Really??? One of the device’s creators said that the goal of the device is “to suppress habits and opinions gathered through life experiences to help users see problems and situations as they really appear.”

“The dream is that one day we may be able to stimulate the brain in a particular way to give you, just momentarily, an unfiltered view of the world.”

I’m not entirely sure what to say about all of this. On the one hand, in a society where we all seek a “pill” to solve every challenge we encounter, from weight gain to hair loss, this “brain zapper” is a perfectly understandable development. On the other, do we really need such a “brain zapper” to tell us that creativity happens when, for whatever reason, we are able to view the world in an “unfiltered” way?

We all have this ability – really – even without the miraculous, magical and mystical brain zapper. We simply need to “quiet” that part of our minds that tells us what is and is not possible, what is right and wrong, and to look at the world for just a moment, as the scientists said, “with a child’s view.” That is where creativity is born. No external electricity source necessary.

But who am I to judge? For those who feel the brain zapper (can’t help thinking about a bug zapper, mercilessly frying mosquitoes and other flying insects on my mother’s patio) would be helpful, go for it. Maybe under its influence, you’ll be able to invent – the next generation brain zapper!

For me, I’ll just keep on battling that big box my “left brain” constructs around my creative consciousness. I’ll keep asking that miraculous, magical and mystical question, “What if?” and see what answers come to, uh… mind. And maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll keep on being creative without having to plug in.

Give it a try. “Plug in” to the part of your mind you forgot – the part you used as a kid, when you were a soldier, or Barbie, or a cowboy, princess or astronaut. The part that asked, effortlessly, “What if?” – and then provided an answer, just as effortlessly.

ZAP!!!