IAF Core Competency Evoking Group Creativity

Some of the most transformative moments in facilitation are not when a group solves a problem but when it sees the problem differently. Creativity is not limited to art or design. It is the capacity to imagine alternatives, challenge familiar patterns and bring new thinking into the room. IAF Core Competency C4, Evoke Group Creativity, invites facilitators to create the conditions where originality feels possible and where participants trust themselves to explore beyond the obvious.

Creativity in groups thrives on diversity. People learn and express insight in different ways. Some think best aloud. Others need a moment of quiet reflection. Some use logic. Others respond to visuals, movement or metaphor. When we design processes that invite these varied ways of processing information, we widen participation and deepen the ideas available to the group.

Evoking creativity also depends on energy. Groups do their best thinking when they feel engaged, playful and connected to purpose. A facilitator’s stance matters here. Enthusiasm is contagious. So is hesitation. When we treat creativity as serious and valuable, rather than frivolous or risky, participants step into it with greater confidence.

This competency does not ask facilitators to produce clever ideas themselves. It asks us to create the structures that allow new thinking to emerge from the collective. We do this by choosing approaches that fit the group’s needs, by gently disrupting the habits that keep thinking narrow and by noticing when energy rises and when it fades. When creativity is supported well, groups surprise themselves with what they can imagine and achieve together.

I recall working with a group of young leaders at an annual industry retreat in a warm July near Venice. Their task was to imagine the future of their field and identify bold priorities for the years ahead. The environment, however, was working against them. The heat was intense, and despite their enthusiasm, energy and focus were fading fast.

Rather than forcing the group to stay in a stifling meeting room, we decided to shift the setting entirely. We moved outside to the pool. The participants formed four small groups, each taking one corner of the water. Flipcharts were stationed poolside and rotated as needed so everyone could stay cool while continuing the work. People literally rolled up their sleeves, stepped into the water and got curious again.

The change in atmosphere was immediate. Laughter returned. Ideas became livelier and more expansive. The physical refresh seemed to unlock mental refresh. When the small groups had shaped their proposals, we gathered together in the shade under the trees, reviewing the outputs with a breeze on our faces and renewed excitement about what might be possible for the industry.

It was a vivid reminder that creativity is deeply influenced by context. When we create conditions that support comfort, playfulness and movement, imagination has space to stretch. The content of the work did not change. The environment did. And that made all the difference.

The four strands of evoking group creativity

In practice, this competency rests on four reinforcing strands:

• Drawing out participants with different learning approaches and ways of processing information

• Encouraging creative thinking

• Using approaches that best fit the needs and abilities of the group

• Stimulating and tapping group energy

These are not steps to follow in sequence. They are conditions to hold at the same time. Together, they create space where imagination feels possible and valuable.

Drawing out participants with different learning approaches and ways of processing information

Creativity rises when people can contribute in the way that works best for them. Some think through talk. Others need stillness and time. Some respond to visuals or movement. Others thrive with metaphor or tactile prompts. Facilitators design with this variety in mind, offering multiple entry points into the work so that more voices and more forms of intelligence are included. The more perspectives present, the richer the ideas become.

Encouraging creative thinking

Creativity is fuelled by permission. Groups need to know that exploring the unexpected is not only tolerated but welcomed. Facilitators invite experimentation by asking expansive questions, challenging assumptions and creating moments where play and seriousness can coexist. When people believe that originality will be met with curiosity rather than critique, new thinking emerges more readily.

Using approaches that best fit the needs and abilities of the group

There is no single “creative process”. The facilitator selects methods that match the group’s comfort level, experience and current mood. Sometimes a quiet idea generation technique unlocks insight. Sometimes a lively, physical activity shifts perspective. The art lies in sensing what the group needs next and adjusting in real time. Approaches that feel natural to participants release more creativity than approaches that feel forced.

Stimulating and tapping group energy

Creativity is a form of energy. It grows when the group feels engaged, alert and connected. Facilitators pay attention to rhythm and flow, knowing when to add a spark and when to give space. Movement, humour, fresh environments and tangible materials can all reignite energy when it dips. When the group’s energy rises, boldness rises with it.

Holding the strands together

When these four strands are actively supported, groups surprise themselves. People discover ideas they did not know they had. Possibilities expand. Solutions become more innovative because more imagination was available to shape them. Confidence grows as participants see that creativity is not something a few gifted individuals possess but something a group can practice together.

When the strands are ignored, thinking narrows. The same familiar voices dominate. Options stay safe and predictable. Energy drains away and innovation becomes harder than it needs to be.

Our task as facilitators is to design and hold the conditions in which creativity can flourish. We honour different ways of thinking. We encourage exploration. We choose approaches that support the people in front of us. And we watch the group’s energy carefully, knowing that creativity is not just cognitive work but human work.

Reflections on drawing out participants with different learning approaches and ways of processing information

Creativity becomes more possible when people can think and contribute in ways that feel natural to them. Discussion is a valuable route into ideas, yet it is only one route. When we depend on words alone, we unintentionally narrow participation to those who process quickly, feel confident speaking in groups or prefer concepts over imagery. Many people think best with time to reflect or through drawing. Others find clarity through movement. Some understand ideas most deeply when they can see or touch them. Evoking creativity in a group means widening the doorway so more people can walk through it.

Visual approaches bring to the surface what might otherwise stay unspoken. When people draw or sketch an idea, they reveal relationships, concerns and possibilities that words cannot always hold. A technique I often use is inviting participants to create a rich picture of the situation or future they want to explore. The instruction is simple and freeing: represent what matters to you about this challenge. People fill large sheets with images, symbols, characters and emotions. They do not need to be artists. They simply need to express what they see and feel. Once the images are shared, deeper understanding emerges. People discover hidden assumptions, overlooked perspectives and contradictions that have not yet been named. The picture becomes a map that leads them into a broader conversation.

Physical methods allow ideas to take shape in ways that can be touched and discussed. When participants build models from objects, clay or LEGO, they translate concepts into form. This slows the pace just enough for new insight to rise. In something like LEGO Serious Play, each person builds their response to a question and tells the story of what they have created. Status and rank soften. Quiet voices take stronger roles. The tangible model helps people speak with more clarity and more courage. Meaning becomes shared rather than abstract. Where words alone might get stuck, hands allow thought to move forward.

Movement also has a powerful influence on thinking. A guided walk conversation shifts both energy and perspective. Partners walk with a prompt in mind, speak without the intensity of eye contact or meeting-room formality, then return to share with the group. Movement invites openness. The environment becomes a partner in the process. Fresh air and rhythm help participants see the issue from angles they did not notice when sitting still. Ideas loosen. Patterns break. People feel more human, and creativity becomes a natural response to changing surroundings.

The arts in their broadest sense help participants express what logic alone cannot. Story fragments, collage, metaphor and playful prompts support imagination to come forward. Even something simple such as asking a group to imagine their challenge as a scene in a film can unlock emotion, humour and curiosity. Serious work does not become frivolous. It simply gains colour and surprise. This shift in atmosphere often leads to ideas that feel more authentic and more courageous.

None of these methods are add-ons. They are essential to creating inclusion in how people think together. When we offer several ways to contribute, we send a clear and respectful message. Every mind is valued. There is no single correct way to be creative. Someone who speaks little in discussion may produce a drawing that changes the entire conversation. Someone who struggles with open brainstorming may build a model that clarifies what others have been trying to articulate without success. These contributions might never surface in traditional dialogue.

Working in multiple modes also builds connection. People see one another differently when they have shared a playful moment or created something side by side. Groups relax. Curiosity grows. Confidence strengthens. More voices enter the space, not only those accustomed to being heard. This broadening matters. The more perspectives a group can access, the more original and useful their ideas become.

Facilitators hold the responsibility of designing for this diversity. We notice when energy is low and invite movement. We sense when people are stuck in abstract argument and introduce something tangible. We recognise when only certain voices have been shaping outcomes and shift to a mode that amplifies others. Our aim is not to replace speaking with drawing or building or walking. It is to let each mode play its part in helping people think more imaginatively and more equally.

When groups experience that their different learning styles are not only accepted but actively welcomed, something important shifts. Participation widens. Insight deepens. Creativity stops being a talent belonging to a select few and becomes a shared resource. People surprise themselves and one another with the ideas they contribute. They learn that thinking differently is not a risk. It is a gift to the group. And when that belief takes hold, imagination becomes not just possible but expected.

Reflections on the distinction between encouragement and techniques for creative thinking

Encouraging creative thinking is first about how we make people feel, not what techniques we use. Creativity requires vulnerability. It asks people to share ideas that are not yet polished, to reveal thinking that might not work, to explore paths that could lead nowhere. If the environment feels competitive, judgmental or rushed, people protect themselves by offering only what is safe and familiar. Real creativity rarely survives that protection. It needs encouragement that is steady and sincere.

We show encouragement through how we respond to the earliest contributions. When someone offers a half-formed idea, and the facilitator meets it with curiosity rather than criticism, others learn that uncertainty is allowed. When silence is held long enough for thoughts to form rather than being quickly filled, people learn that reflection is welcome. When unusual suggestions are explored instead of dismissed, imagination learns it has a place in the room.

To support this spirit, we stretch comfort zones gradually. We do not start with the most daring or exposed creative activity. We begin with small invitations that feel safe and achievable, allowing the group to experience success without pressure. A quiet imagination exercise before a public share. A metaphor before a model. A sketch before a presentation. Step by step, people build confidence. The nervous smile becomes genuine enthusiasm. Tentative ideas become bolder ones. Safety and stretch grow together.

The challenge lies in knowing how far to stretch and when. Too little stretch and creativity stays shallow. Too much too soon and the room contracts. Encouragement helps us find the point where discomfort signals growth rather than fear. We frame risk as exploration rather than evaluation. We remind the group that we are not looking for the perfect answer, only the next possible question.

Techniques become powerful only when this foundation is in place. Brainstorming, forced connections, SCAMPER, provocations or playful prompts can help thinking expand, but these tools depend on trust. Without trust they feel like gimmicks. With trust they become liberating. The technique provides a structure to push against. The encouragement provides the confidence to push.

Encouragement also includes how we show up ourselves. If we treat creativity like something fragile that must be coaxed, the group will be cautious. If we treat it as a natural capacity that everyone possesses, they will be more willing to claim it. When facilitators express genuine delight when a surprising idea appears, others discover that delight as well. Energy rises. The act of creating feels lighter.

We pay attention to the emotional rhythm of the work. After moments of uncertainty we offer acknowledgement and appreciation. After stretches of divergence we provide structure and a sense of progress. These small calibrations help people stay open rather than retreat. They make creativity feel purposeful and attainable, not chaotic or indulgent.

At the core, encouraging creative thinking is about dignity. It honours the possibility that lies inside every participant and invites it into the daylight. It says: your voice matters, your idea matters, your way of seeing the world matters. When groups believe this, imagination stops being a risk. It becomes a contribution.

Creativity is not something a few gifted minds bring into the room. It is something the room itself can learn to generate. Encouragement is how we build that capability. It is the steady signal that exploration is worthwhile, that mistakes are simply moments of learning and that every person has something original to offer. When encouragement becomes part of the culture, ideas that once felt impossible become simply the next step forward.

Reflections on using approaches that best fit the needs and abilities of the group

Using approaches that best fit the needs and abilities of the group begins with understanding who is in the room. Every participant brings a different cognitive style, level of comfort and form of expression. When facilitation assumes a single way of thinking, some minds are amplified while others are silenced. Designing for neurodiversity and accessibility ensures that creativity is not limited to those who can process quickly, speak confidently or follow abstract instruction. Some people think best when they can move. Some need quiet structure. Some need visuals to anchor their thoughts. Accessibility can be as simple as providing varied materials and clear instructions or as thoughtful as checking how lighting, noise and pace affect participation. When we provide options rather than one right way, we remove barriers to creativity. Participants feel considered and seen, and this sense of belonging unlocks more of their imagination.

Culture also shapes how creativity is expressed and received. In some contexts, imaginative thinking is shown through bold speech and playful challenge. In others, humility and careful reflection are signs of respect. Without awareness of these differences, facilitators might misinterpret hesitation as lack of ideas or enthusiasm as disregard for structure. Our role is to create conditions where participants can contribute without compromising who they are. We offer multiple ways to explore and express ideas so that creativity does not depend on adopting a single cultural style. Storytelling, visual metaphor and small group reflection can be just as powerful as energetic brainstorms. When these preferences are honoured, creativity becomes a place of dignity rather than risk.

Energy is often the most accurate indicator of whether a chosen approach still fits the group. Creativity requires enough engagement to explore without collapsing back into the familiar. Long stretches of sitting can drain focus. Rapid tasks without reflection can overwhelm. When energy dips, ideas flatten. Repetition creeps in. The room withdraws. These signals tell us it is time to shift rhythm, format or environment. A short walk, a tactile activity or even a gentle pause can restore vitality. Matching the method to the moment keeps creativity alive. We work with the natural rhythm of the room rather than forcing progress. Energy stewardship is what turns creative effort into creative flow.

The payoff

When groups experience that creativity is something everyone can contribute to, not something reserved for a talented few, the atmosphere changes. Possibility becomes present in the room. People suggest ideas they once filtered out. They notice opportunities that were previously hidden. They build on each other’s thinking rather than waiting for permission to speak. The group becomes braver together.

Ideas also become more robust. Solutions shaped through multiple lenses are less fragile than those generated through a narrow set of voices. Assumptions are tested earlier. Risks are spotted sooner. Insights come from unexpected places. When creative expression feels accessible and dignifying, the group sees more and thinks more widely. Innovation becomes a collective act rather than an individual achievement.

Energy rises too. Work that felt heavy gains a sense of play. Tasks that seemed routine become invitations to learn. When imagination is allowed into the process, engagement strengthens and collaboration feels more alive. People leave with not only better outputs but a renewed confidence in their own capacity to shape the future.

The lasting payoff is capability. A group that knows how to evoke creativity together does not depend on a facilitator to spark ideas. It learns to stretch itself, to bring difference into the centre and to treat imagination as a practical tool for progress. They become a team that can adapt, invent and reimagine, long after the session ends.

Frequently asked questions for evoking group creativity

1. What if participants say they are “not creative”?

I treat this not as a limitation but as a learned belief. Most people have been rewarded in work for being correct, not imaginative. I acknowledge the feeling and then design early tasks that require no artistic skill or public performance. Quiet imagination, private reflection, simple metaphors. As participants experience success, the story they hold about themselves shifts. Creativity becomes something they do, not something they lack.

2. How do I encourage creativity without losing focus?

Creativity expands possibility. Purpose ensures that possibility remains relevant. I keep the core question visible and speak its importance aloud. I guide the group through cycles: diverge to explore, then converge to make meaning. Even in highly creative phases, I return the group to “What are we trying to achieve together here?” Anchored creativity is not indulgent. It is strategic.

3. What if the group resists playful methods or thinks they are childish?

Resistance is often a request for dignity. People want to know that their time and identity will be respected. I explain the intention: “We are shifting the method so we can think in ways we usually don’t.” I start with a form of creativity that feels adult and purposeful, such as visual metaphors or walking dialogue. As trust builds, play becomes easier to step into. Once people feel respected, they often welcome surprise.

4. How do I ensure everyone participates, not just the confident few?

Creativity becomes collective when there are many ways to enter the work. I provide options: writing, sketching, building, speaking, silent contribution, small groups. I watch who is shaping the outcome and gently rebalance airtime. The goal is not equal volume but equal opportunity to shape the direction of the work. When contribution broadens, intelligence broadens.

5. What if there is very limited time for creativity?

Time pressure makes habitual thinking more likely. Even two or three minutes of divergence can prevent premature closure. A quick brainwriting activity or a short silent imagining round can reveal options a rushed conversation would miss. Creativity is not a luxury. It is an investment in better starting points and fewer wrong turns later.

6. How do I handle ideas that seem unrealistic or impossible?

I separate insight from execution. An idea may never work in its literal form, yet the value lies in what it points to. I ask “What is the important truth behind this?” or “What need is this idea responding to?”. This keeps imagination open while focusing on what can be carried forward. Unrealistic ideas often reveal the breakthrough the group actually needs.

7. What if cultural norms make expressive creativity difficult or uncomfortable?

I design invitations that allow creativity to surface with dignity. Story, analogy, symbols and quiet reflection can feel more culturally safe than exuberant brainstorming. I avoid placing individuals in a position where expressing disagreement or risk might cost respect. Creativity grows when participants do not have to choose between contribution and belonging.

8. What if energy drops and the group loses interest in creative work?

Energy is information. It tells me when the method no longer fits the moment. I might introduce movement, shift scale, refresh the question or simply let the room breathe. I do not blame the group for the dip. I adjust until engagement returns. Creativity has a rhythm. Facilitators help the group learn how to ride the waves without giving up when the tide goes out temporarily.

Unlocking imagination: Evoking group creativity for better thinking together