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8 CHILDART GLOBAL CREATIVE LEADERS JAN-MAR 2021 9
Perhaps you have wished for a genie in a CREATIVITY FREDERIK IS TEA CHING this taught me not to feel saddened when things don’t
bottle to appear and grant you three wishes. work out as you intend. The process for me, over that
You may have even imagined what you AN IMPOR T ANT MINDSET six-month period, was valuable. It was valuable in terms
would wish for. But what if a genie appeared A T GOOGLE . HE BELIEVES of spending time together with someone I care about
and granted you three questions? Or thirty AS A and exploring something new. I realized I just really
questions? You could ask anything, and the THIS MINDSET CAN BENEFIT enjoyed the process.”
answer would be provided. What are you THE WHOLE W ORLD .
curious about? What problems do you want SUPERPOWER Frederik is on mission to “grow innovators around
to solve? IT IS B UIL T ON THREE the world and help everyone be creative.” Essential
to this mission is trying things out—experimentation.
“Children ask beautiful questions. They CONCEPTS : EMPA THY, He built his career on this philosophy. With a spirit of
ask questions starting with ‘what if.’ They ask EXPANSIVE THINKING , AND exploration, he has earned multiple academic degrees,
questions starting with ‘why.’ Why is it that ultimately obtaining a PhD in Business and Human
way? Why can’t it be different? When adults EXPERIMENT A TION . Resources Education from Paderborn University in
look at problems such as climate change Germany. He has lived and worked in Buenos Aires,
or social justice, they feel fear and anxiety. “ EMPA THY ALL O WS Y OU T O Cape Town, Long Beach, and Shanghai. He joined
Problems can create fear. But for children, DR. FREDERIK G. PFERDT Google in 2010 and has been an adjunct professor
problems create opportunities. Children turn PUT Y OURSELF IN SOMEONE at Stanford for nearly a decade, working to unleash
problems into questions. Adults can learn ELSE ’ S SHOES . the creativity of everyone he encounters. He suggests
from children how to turn the problems we CHIEF INNOVATION EVANGELIST that rather than prepare for a job, you prepare to solve
are facing into questions—how to unleash GOOGLE problems. “What is a problem you care about? What
our creativity to find solutions.” ADJUNCT PROFESSOR EXPANSIVE THINKING do you want to solve? We are not lacking in problems.
This is the perspective of Dr. Frederik Pferdt, STANFORD UNIVERSITY HELPS Y OU T O REFRAME — T O It’s just a matter of choosing which one you care about
who holds the title of Chief Innovation MOUNTAIN VIEW COME UP WITH THE RIGHT and how you can contribute to the solution.”
Evangelist for Google. An evangelist is one This is where empathy intersects with creativity and
who brings good news. The good news he QUESTIONS AND TURN THEM innovation. Empathy allows you to immerse yourself
spreads is that we are all creative. You might INT O OPPOR TUNITIES . in the problems other people are experiencing. “If you
lack confidence, but you are creative. are a child, a politician, a teacher, a student, a start-up
founder—whoever you are—you will always benefit
Frederik grew up in the small town of EXPERIMENT A TION REQUIRES
Ravensburg in southern Germany. “I grew from more empathy.” The key to unleashing creativity is
up rich—not monetarily rich, but rich in love Y OU T O TR Y SOMETHING empathy. “Empathy sparks new ideas and innovations.
and caring.” His close relationships with his OUT — T O SEE WHA T W ORKS It is the #1 skill of the future. Invest in your empathy
family provided an environment that allowed skills.” Frederik helps people discover problems they
him safety and the freedom to explore and AND WHA T DOESN ’ T W ORK . want to solve and ways they can contribute. His work
learn. Exploration doesn’t always involve THESE THREE MINDSETS and message are timely. The year 2020 has brought
traveling to exotic destinations. Sometimes change in ways we never could have expected.
the best explorations involve the ideas and ARE THE SECRET SA UCE OF Frederik advises we prepare ourselves for a world that
the projects you tackle right where you are. AN INNO V A T OR . ” is different—but in a positive way. “We are seeing a
peak in creativity at this moment. It is time for a
As a child, Frederik embarked upon a “very positive change.”
intense project” with his dad. They set about
to build a wooden airplane. Over a six-month Frederik believes there are creative superpowers
period, they went down to the cellar every within each of us. In 2018, with his wife Angela,
evening where they had a small workshop. Frederik founded Tüftelei, a workshop for children that
Since they had no experience building provides a creative space to try new things. Tüftelei is a
airplanes, they figured it out together. Finally, German word that connotates tinkering, experimenting,
the project was completed. “We launched the and adjusting. Tüftelei offers an environment that
airplane. It flew! But for just thirty seconds. encourages and nourishes the innovative spirit. It is a
Then it crashed and was totally destroyed. place to try. Frederik’s advice to kids is precisely this,
I still remember that moment. I remember “Just try it! Just do it! The worst thing that might
the excitement when the plane took off. I happen is that you will learn. There is going to be
remember the feeling when it crashed. I think learning happening along the way!”
FREDERIK PFERDT CREATIVITY AS A SUPERPOWER https://icaf.org
