Welcome to the Creative Thinking Group

.
In this and coming blogs I want to explore the nature of creative thinking and would welcome input and comment to help create a discussion on this topic. Even a quick scan of the literature, both popular and academic, reveals a range of definitions for "Creativity".
.
Wikipedia defines Creativity (or "creativeness") is a mental process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations between existing ideas or concepts.
.
On her website our colleague Linda Naiman (http://www.creativityatwork.com/) defines creativity as the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. She also quotes Rollo May (The Courage to Create) as saying “Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being...creativity requires passion and commitment. ….”
.
So, Creativity is by default something new, at least to the observer, and we find that people usually ascribe being creative to others – not themselves.
.
Creativity in business terms is often related to the generation of Ideas, with Innovation being the conversion of ideas into value, and Commercialisation or Implementation being a type entrepreneurial effort that realises that value. We see lots of ideas that are not converted into innovative value, and lots of innovation that goes unimplemented.
.
Ideas – Innovation – Commercialisation. Where is creative thinking involved?
.
In my view it is the thinking process that lies before and between each of these stages. Creative thinking involves a shift of perception, a new view of what is, that generates new ideas, or turns starting ideas into innovations, and then helps realise the value of the innovation through implementation.
.
Of course there are many ways to discuss creativity, and this is just one narrow start. I am interested in your comments and views.