Opinion Fostering Creativity By CHRISTINE CUNANAN-NOMURA	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
創造性を養うこと 創造性を養うこと 日本人は創造性がないといわれる。 では、創造性を養うにはどうしたらいいか。 学校や職場で、質問したり違った意見を出すことを 奨励するような環境を作ることが大事だと 筆者は考えている。

Recently, uncertainties over Japan's future global competitiveness and a seeming lack of creativity and individualism among many Japanese seem to be worrying Japanese bureaucrats, academics and senior executives.

In response, more and more government committees and companies are deciding to encourage creativity at schools and workplaces — as if creativity is something that can be ordered like a new office uniform or an item on a cafeteria lunch menu!

In reality, things are not so simple.

For instance, students will first need teachers who have broad mindsets and the capability to think and act beyond the norm, curricula with enough space for a variety of subjects and activities, and a system that focuses on real learning and not just examination information.

Until now, the Japanese education system has valued obedient learning over an inquiring mind. My husband told me that his teachers always got mad at him for asking questions.

At my schools outside Japan, on the other hand, teachers actually encouraged questions and differences of opinion. In fact, many teachers would fail students who didn't ask enough questions because this proved that those students were not thinking hard enough. One of my favorite teachers used to say: "Don't believe everything your teacher says. Listen and decide for yourself. "

Through such experiences, many students outside Japan learn how to think quickly and how to discuss their opinions.

On the other hand, companies that want more creative employees will have to ensure that their managers can accept and deal with changes, that their corporate environments truly encourage people to think and act differently without fear of reprisals, and that their management systems allow employees enough time, space and energy for other lives.

To many foreigners, the way to foster creativity in the Japanese workplace seems painfully obvious, but also quite difficult, considering the traditional thinking of many executives.

To foster creativity, for example, Japanese companies must give their employees the time to be or to find themselves, to have other identities that are unrelated to the company, such as husband, father or neighbor, and to be a part of other wonderful worlds. Unfortunately, so many middle-aged men are too tired trying to fulfill the demands of company life to have an identity other than that of an overworked salaryman. How can these employees be expected to think and act creatively?

People develop creativity through different stimulating experiences — not by working and being with the same people all the time. I myself realize the importance of getting recharged after working very hard, so every summer I take a four-week break. I travel to Europe to paint, attend art classes and sample different lifestyles. And I always return to Tokyo full of energy and new ideas.

A person who devotes all his waking hours to his company — to the detriment of everything else — is seen as an ideal employee by traditional Japanese bosses. Interestingly, this same person would probably not get past the first interview with foreign employers because they would assume that this person is boring, narrow-minded and — yes — most probably very, very uncreative.

Shukan ST: May 21, 1999

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