Introduction

This open access book (currently in its 2nd stage of peer review – being actively tested by a new cohort through Semester 1, 2025) is designed specifically for post-graduate students of creativity and innovation. This Pressbook offers interactive/active multi-media content, worksheets and think tanks to develop creative thinking and creative leadership skills. The book is designed on the principles of andragogy and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  The goal of UDL is learner agency that is purposeful and reflective, resourceful and authentic, strategic and action-oriented.

6 Ps of Creativity is aimed at post-graduate and MBA students, and busy business executives who are keen to learn more about leading creative activities, enterprises and innovations for themselves and their teams.  The first edition specifically targets students enrolled in post-graduate Master of Marketing and MBA courses in Co-ignition, and Creativity & Innovation at the Auckland University of Technology. It primarily contains topics covered in those courses. More depth of content is provided for the key learning outcomes and topics in the Creative Ideation & Innovation Course, namely the 6 Ps of Creativity (People, Product, Process, Press, Partnerships, and Possibilities) You will notice another P entering the section of Process (i.e., Persuasion, but it is merely a coincidence and not a separate part of the 6 Ps -it’s a sub-section of the P labelled Process). As students cover a variety of topics such as Fund Raising, Managing Human Resources and Feasibility Studies for New Products in other courses in the same post-graduate programme, these topics are only touched on fairly lightly.

The text is divided into short, easily digestible sections related to the 6 Ps, focusing on one concept at a time. It provides a range of concepts and ideas focusing more deeply on the concepts related to the foci of these courses. Pairing the text with images and videos provides students with multiple ways of learning the content. The text is written with the intelligent, but fairly in-experienced student or young entrepreneur – new to creative thinking and innovation – in mind. Some emphasis is placed on preparing readers for creative leadership in SME organizations or in their own firms (intrapreneurship). Terminology is introduced in an easy-to-understand manner, and supporting content is clear and concise to optimize engagement, minimize cognitive load and to make the learning journey fun and maximize recall.

Each chapter ends with an interactive or DIY activity. For classes or developmental forums, these will be helpful to gain inter-personal and collaborative skills and ensure robust dialogue. For readers who are working through the book on their own, these Toolshed (Chapter 9) activities are aimed at providing worksheets to aid entrepreneurs in applying the concepts to their own team or their own inventions and innovations.

6 Ps of Creativity Model

Chapter 1  (P₁= PEOPLE) introduces the creative person (genii), their habits, and some hurdles that may prevent optimal creative thinking such as heuristics, biases and prejudices that create fallacies and make genii falter or fail. The term genii is introduced to present both singular and plural nouns for creative people. We introduce ‘genii’—a fusion of “unleashing the inner genie” and the plural of genius. Your inner genii blend rational, emotional, and irrational thinking, navigating multiple domains and collaborating. Emphasising plurality, we acknowledge creative teams, crowds, and multiple intelligences. This book focuses on helping you to unleash your genii and the genii of others.