Problem Reversal
State your goal as to opposite of what you want to achieve. Creativity can result from viewing the world as groups of opposites--for every challenge or problem, there is a counter-challenge and counter-problem. In military strategy sessions, often someone plays the part of the enemy, probing for weaknesses and exploiting vulnerabilities. The reversal of roles eventually leads to a strengthening of the force as "enemy" issues are brought up and dealt with.
Example.
Instead of listing how you can improve the guest experience at your church, make a list of how you can make the guest experience worse. You'll end up generating ideas for improving the guest experience through what you discover by doing the opposite.
Action Ideas.
- Figure out what others as not doing.
- Try defining what something is not.
- Make defeat into victory or victory into defeat.
- Change a positive statement to a negative one.
- Reverse the results--challenge yourself to find the opposite of what you want.
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