This year at the CREA Conference, I had the privilege of sharing a meal with Guy Aznar.
For those unfamiliar, Guy is a pioneer in applied creativity—a French psychologist who founded Synapse in 1966, the first French organization dedicated to creative thinking. He helped professionalize brand creation through Novamark and has authored numerous influential books on creative methods and organizational innovation. His work laid foundational stones for the development of structured creative processes in Europe, particularly in education and business.
What struck me most wasn’t just his legacy—it was his mindset.
When I asked him which development program he was following at CREA, he told me: Artificial Intelligence.
Guy is 90 years old. I asked why AI, and he simply said:
“Because I don’t know anything about it, and I’m curious to learn.”
That simple response said everything.
Guy could easily rest on decades of expertise, but instead, he leans into curiosity, the first spark of creativity. He embodies the spirit of Creative Problem Solving—not just the techniques, but the mindset: openness, exploration, deferral of judgment, and a deep belief that learning never ends.
He didn’t come across as a guru. He came across as a learner. He asked thoughtful questions, sought different perspectives, and challenged his own assumptions—all key principles in the CPS process and in fostering genuine innovation.
In a world often obsessed with expertise, Guy reminded me that true creativity lives in humility, curiosity, and the courage to keep asking “what if?”
For me, he didn’t just teach creativity—he is creativity.
About the CREA Conference
The CREA Conference is one of Europe’s premier annual events dedicated to creativity and innovation. Held in Sestri Levante, Italy, it brings together over 250 participants from more than 30 countries. The conference focuses on the learning and application of methods, tools, and techniques for the development of creative thinking, offering an immersive experience of professional and personal development
Selected Publications by Guy Aznar
- La créativité dans l’entreprise (1972)
- Fiches d’animation créative des groupes (1975)
- Tous à mi-temps ou le Scénario bleu (1981)
- Travailler moins pour travailler tous (1993)
- Emploi, la grande mutation (1998)
- Idées: 100 techniques de créativité pour les produire et les gérer (2005)
- La posture sensible dans le processus de création des idées (2010, with Stéphane Ely)
- The Sensitive Stance in the Production of Creative Ideas (2011, with Stéphane Ely)
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Through Yinsight, I support companies, their managers and teams in their development with a view to achieving tangible performance that respects people. Creating strategy, working on collective values, aligning teams, managing complexity and interpersonal dynamics, and providing individual and collective support for transformation are at the heart of my work.