3 Ways for Lawyers to Become Creative Problem-Solvers (Required by Employers!)

Employers often ask me for open-minded lawyers who can solve the thorniest problems. Indeed, creativity is the number one trait CEOs look for when hiring according to an IBM survey of 1500 CEOs. How can you grow creativity? Here are 3 ways (summarized from this Harvard Business Review article):

1. Put yourself in different situations, and look at things from entirely new perspectives. One way is to unplug and spend time in nature. Another is to consider how different industries or different target audiences address problems you face. Listen to the perspectives of diverse teams within your organization.
2. Give yourself space to process information. Activities like exercise, meditation, or walks allow your mind to wander and come up with solutions organically without the pressure of thinking up answers immediately.
3. Take into account constraints. (This one is easy for attorneys because we are always bounded by the law.) It turns out creativity activates two parts of the brain: the part associated with daydreaming and the part associated with rules and processing. So when you are pondering problems, try to follow tips #1 and #2 above to combine flowing insight with a thoughtful product.