Is creativity equal peculiarity? Park Jong-ha says ‘No!’ He insists that thinking peculiarly with a firm resolution in mind is the way to creativity. According to him, creativity is meaningful only when you intend to establish new regulations, not break them. Being original and creative has been a constant stress for many. Although creativity has become important value in 21st century, improving creativity seems to be a more difficult task than raising your TOEIC score.
To better understand how to become more creative and original, CAH met Park Jong-ha, who is a creativity consultant.

CAH: Creativity consultant is somewhat unfamiliar to Koreans. What is a creativity consultant?
Park: creativity consulting is about creating ‘thinking experience’ that makes people to think. Although thinking is a great ability that everyone possesses, most people do not put much of an effort into better thinking. I started to work as creativity consultant once I had an experience that made me understands what ‘One’s thinking decides everything of oneself’ meant to my life. A creativity consultant is a man who considers creativity as the highest human value. It is more important than what a man does with excellent creativity. It is a job of sharing a story, which brings useful ideas and imagination to one’s life and work.

 

 

CAH: Recently, creativity and originality has become strongly esteemed by employers. What do your recent works include?
Park: I try to develop as much creative work as I can. For example, one day, I found myself eating the same sort of noodle whenever I eat. I wondered, what would other noodles taste like? I have never thought about that, it seemed as if I eat food just to survive. Then, I thought about how our life is similar to this. We all have to live an enjoyable life with more experiences and creativity. Therefore, I strive to write columns and do lectures actively about how we can make changes in our lives.  

CAH: You are busy giving lectures at companies and other locations. Would you talk about these lectures briefly?   
Park: A company wants me to provide a concrete method to derive creative ideas for their company employees. So I give many lectures which introduce deriving- idea techniques and the way to apply them to their business. However, genuine creativity for social change starts from looking at the world with a positive view and having trust in oneself. Above all, having an affirmative mind is the most important value of all. Therefore, I often talk about having a positive mind.

CAH: What effort do you make in terms of improving your creativity in general?
Park: I try to see and experience as much as I can. I put a lot of effort into reading books and watching television. Reading books that are in the same genre is not helpful to improving creativity because they do not vary much from each other. Reading books about broad themes that hold one’s interest is necessary.           

CAH: To become a creativity consultant, what is required and needed?
Park: Creativity consultants (a sort of management consultant) do not require any qualifications or academic degrees. Of course, you have to acquire technical details in school, at the company, and from life. Once you want to be a creativity consultant, anyone can become one through dealing with modern people. Entering a management company may be the best way.

CAH: You are doing many various activities including the release of several books. What message do you want to deliver as a creativity consultant to people?
Park: I write about what I want to, not about what creativity is. Readers who love my articles appreciate the fact that I give them a guide in advance. I want to write a story containing diversity of opinions and presenting a fresh point of view. I do not feel I am obligated to play a certain role.

CAH: Modern university students have a hard time managing their grades, achieving qualifications and studying foreign languages. Please tell them what they should focus on as a creativity consultant.
Park: I am twenty years older than the 2008 university freshmen are. Looking back upon the past, life seems neither too tender nor too difficult. I want them to enjoy life with confidence. I wish them to find what they are interested in.

Park Jong-ha says that the basics of creativity are to read & lead. In oral examination, it is hard to impress an interviewer if the interviewee is busy trying to meet to find a model answer rather than express him or herself. When you read about their needs and take the lead in finding the solution to that requirement, the door to pass will be open. Maybe creativity depends on our attitude rather than our brainwork. If you want to be creative, take the initiative in advance!