Creative Tools: Words

by Gopal Ramasammy-Cook (Career-Creative Coach, ZestWare)

In general, I think we take words for granted as tools, material, or output for the creative process. I'm not referring to the use of words in larger works like stories, or poems, or songs. I mean words themselves. And yet, words have been a great source of inventive creativity.

For example, take the word strength used in the context of a personal strength or weakness. Marcus Buckingham re-defined this word to mean "an activity which strengthens you" rather than the conventional "that which you are good at". And by doing this, he created a whole paradigm shift in thinking that is revolutionizing personal growth in the workplace.

Then there is the little word flow. It usually means the flow of water or some other liquid - for example, the flow of a river. But positive psychologist, Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, recycled it to mean "a state of energized immersion in work". This again precipitated a new way of seeing.

Richard Dawkins coined the word meme to represent a cultural counterpart of the gene. Just as the gene is the basic unit of replication and transmission of biological traits (eye color, hair texture, blood-type etc.), the meme is considered to be the unit of replication and transmission of cultural phenomena (beliefs, tunes, theories, dances etc.).

Edward De Bono, the creative thinking guru created words like po and lateral thinking - OK, that last one's actually two words - but you get my point.

Think of the creative use of words in book titles. Here are a few: Thinkertoys (Michael Michalko), Ideavirus (Seth Godin), Mind Mapping (Tony Buzan). Can you think of more? Please post a comment and tell me.

Now consider words like laser, hypertext, radar, Internet, webinar, email, e-business etc. All of these were invented in the last few decades.

Words are indeed creative sources. By creating or re-inventing them, not only the words are changed, but entire conceptual domains.

What new words will you create?


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