William Shepard – Perspectives on the Evolution of Deliberate Creativity

Creative Flow: Thinkers and Change Agents

Our 37th episode of the Creative Flow: Thinkers and Change Agents Podcast Series features William Shepard, a thought leader who worked closely with Sid Parnes and many greats in the field of Creative Problem Solving.

Bill's first exposure to Deliberate Creativity was in 1972 when he provided technical and logistical support at the Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI), which impacted him personally and professionally. He later obtained a Graduate Certificate in Creativity from the Center for Applied Imagination, SUNY Buffalo State, and served as Director of CPSI and its programs for 18 years.

Bill masterfully walks us through how the history and evolution of the field of Creativity have changed from the beginning to the present day. He describes traveling around the world with Sid and Bea Parnes and working with many of the seminal thought leaders of Creative Problem Solving, such as Ruth Noller, Paul Torrance, and Edward DeBono. He discusses his own emotional breakthrough as he found the side of him that could be creative and the tools to do it deliberately.

Don’t miss this discussion of how he uses the principles and tools personally and professionally for individuals, teams, organizations, and executive coaching. As the Group Vice President of the Creative Problem Solving Group – Buffalo (CPSB), he worked on projects with leading firms worldwide. For him, the most personally and professionally rewarding activity was training individuals within organizations to address problems and challenges better. Find our podcast today on all of your favorite platforms.