Reprinted from December 17 - January 6, 2011 ‘Intelligent memory’ Enlightened leaders leverage creativity CHRISTINE recently participated in two corpo- track creativity. This organization’s re- McMAHON Irate strategic planning retreats. Both search showed that creativity happens in a LEADERSHIP followed a conventional agenda – defi ne fl ash when two ideas collide generating a the mission, vision, values, strategic goals, new insight or concept. The matrix is a nif- William Duggan, professor of inno- etc. – and each facilitator demonstrated ty tool that facilitates and communicates vation in the executive MBA program at appropriate sensitivity to our opinions, any/all new information to the entire team. Columbia University, suggests that, “as ensuring that all board members’ voices Now I was curious … how does the the intelligent memory concept has re- were heard. Their differences emerged creative brain actually work? Do we know? placed the old, two-sided brain theory in when roadblocks developed requiring We’ve been taught that the right side neuroscience, companies need to replace creative-thought energy. of the brain holds the creative, artistic and brainstorming with methods that refl ect The fi rst facilitator employed a tradi- intuitive capabilities, and the left side is more accurately how creative ideas actu- tional, fi ve-step strategy including, 1) de- the reservoir for the analytical, logical and ally form in the mind.” fi ne the problem; 2) identify criteria; 3) rational thinking. This distinction was dis- This further supports the second fa- gather and evaluate data; 4) list and evalu- covered by Nobel Prize winner Dr. Roger cilitator’s approach to, creative thinking by ate options; and 5) select the best option. Sperry’s innovative research in 1981. By challenging our brains search-and-connect We progressed effortlessly through the 1998, Brenda Milner, Larry Squire and processes through stimulating questions. fi rst three steps and then stumbled when Eric Kandel published a leading edge ar- Questions act like power tools to spawn hitting step 4. The facilitator’s response ticle, “Cognitive Neuroscience and the creativity. Have you ever been asked a ques- was to break us into smaller groups, charg- Study of Memory,” in the journal Neuron, tion that you weren’t prepared to answer? ing us to brainstorm ideas and saying, “It’s describing a new model of the brain. They In the moment, even while you’re verbal- time to turn off your left brain and only contended that the brain contains “intel- izing a response, your mind is searching use your right brain.” ligent memory” where the analytical and for the real answer. Inevitably, the answer The second facilitator took a vastly intuitive aspects work together. Eric Kan- pops into your head like a lightning bolt different approach. We were asked more del won the Nobel Prize in 2000 for his when you’re doing something “mindless” thought-provoking questions and our re- contribution to this work. This new model like taking a shower or mowing the lawn. sponses were captured in a matrix. The negates previous thinking and shows that This is exactly how the brain works. It can’t questions were simple: “there is no left brain or right brain; only be forced into fi nding the right answer but 1. What is your understanding about learning and recall, in various combina- rather processes over time until new con- this situation? tions, throughout the entire brain.” nections can be made or a new compart- 2. What actions do you think are Working with this new model, neuro- ment is built into the closet. needed to succeed? scientist Barry Gordon states in his book, Evidence continues to grow about how 3. Who (person or company) has over- “Intelligent Memory: Improve the Mem- the brain actually works, challenging us, as come a situation like this before? ory That Makes You Smarter,” that since leaders, to become more enlightened so we 4. What actions are needed to succeed? birth our brains compartmentalize expe- can leverage the creative potential of our riences and information akin to an elabo- human capital. As we learn more about how Each answer was assigned a provisional rate closet organization system. The brain our brains are designed to function, I sus- meaning so that as new information sur- warehouses existing knowledge into sepa- pect there will be new, cutting-edge meth- faced, it was captured and recorded on the rate fi les and, when new data is received, it odologies to unlock creativity. For all of us, matrix and easily shared with the group. searches the stored fi les looking for similar this will mean higher levels of employee en- Intrigued by the second facilitator’s information. Upon fi nding a match, the gagement and greater innovation. I novel (and more successful) approach, new information is combined with the ex- I asked for the rationale behind it, which isting knowledge to create a fresh thought. Christine McMahon is a business strategist. She can be turned out to be a technique used by a This process, called intelligent memory, is reached at (414) 290-3344 or by email at: ccm@chris- global organization to ignite, capture and the basis for producing creative ideas. tinemcmahon.com.