The Missing Link in Business Creativity Is 'Doubt,' Says New Video From The Boston Consulting Group

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Nov 13, 2013) -  Many attempts at business creativity fail because they overlook the most important step toward practical creativity -- doubting everything.

In a new video titled "Creativity's Secret Ingredient: Doubt," The Boston Consulting Group's creativity experts Alan Iny and Luc de Brabandere urge business people to start the creative process by questioning their assumptions and challenging their mindsets. They say initiatives that demand creativity should begin with participants being asked to doubt current notions. For instance:

• Doubt that the way you typically do things is the best or only way to do them
• Doubt what you think your customers really want from your business
• Doubt the conventional wisdom about your competitors
• Doubt what you believe sets your business apart

"Never hesitate, but always doubt" is a maxim de Brabandere puts forth in the video.

This is the latest in a series of videos based on Iny and de Brabandere's new book "Thinking in New Boxes: A New Paradigm for Business Creativity" (Random House, September 2013), which Fortune recently rated one of the five "Must-Read Business Books" of 2013. Additional videos explore:

• Why you don't need new ideas to be creative. Many brainstorm meetings focus on trying to find "new" ideas when, in fact, many game-changing innovations have come from looking at existing ideas in a different way.
• How to stop killing creative ideas. Managers often kill creative and potentially groundbreaking concepts because they refuse to consider challenging and seemingly impossible ideas. The authors call on companies to create a culture that is open to fresh thinking.

"Creativity's Secret Ingredient: Doubt" is available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huMVoH8Xvgw&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLMJgyXjV5gMLX2-NS-5hm4S6MFe-oYuHX.

For the full collection of videos, please visit http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBCGVideo.

To speak with Alan Iny or Luc de Brabandere, or to obtain a copy of "Thinking in New Boxes," please contact Frank Lentini of Sommerfield Communications, Inc. at (212) 255-8386 or lentini@sommerfield.com.

About The Boston Consulting Group

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world's leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 78 offices in 43 countries. For more information, please visit www.bcg.com