The psychological terms restructuring and functional fixedness are relevant to how the creative process works, and can be applied to creative thinking. Restructuring means reorganizing or restructuring a problem to find a solution. Functional fixedness occurs when, as the idea originator, you become restricted by the demands of the task, or other constraints or norms. This functional fixedness means that you have difficulty reconceptualizing the problem to find a solution.

You may not believe that you are especially creative, but you probably possess various skills and attributes that will help in creative projects. If you are going to enhance your creative performance and potential, you need to know what skills you already have, and what areas you need to build on.

• Put a smile in your voice.
• React like it's your best friend on the phone.
• Start smiling before you answer the telephone.
• Think of every call as a welcome break.
• Sit up straight with both feet on the floor.
• Don't slouch.
• Treat callers with respect.
• Focus on what you can do.
• Don't take your problems out on a caller.
• Try to project a perky, positive, and upbeat image.

Conference calls are becoming more and more common in the business world. There is no easier way to bring together members of a team who are in multiple locations around the country, or even around the world. The invention of conference call capabilities has saved companies billions of dollars in travel costs and helped improve efficiency in organizations around the globe.

Cellular phones can be beneficial because they make it easy to reach an individual any time, any place. Cellular phones can also be a nuisance for the same reason.

The rules for cellular phone etiquette can help you use your cellular phone to your own advantage, without offending anyone around you. The rules for cellular phone etiquette are:

Speakerphones provide a convenient and practical way to communicate with several people at once, without setting up a formal conference call. However, the misuse and abuse of this convenient technology has given speakerphones a bad name. Most often, the fault lies with the user, not the technology.

When using a speakerphone, follow the basic rules of speakerphone etiquette:

Voicemail is a technological innovation designed to help people handle calls more efficiently. Instead of being helpful, it often generates frustration. This frustration is attributable to poor use of telephone technology.

The principles for the effective use of voicemail can help. These are:

When a customer calls your company, he looks to you to help solve problems, meet needs, or alleviate concerns. Every customer who calls your company deserves to talk to a competent, confident individual. Even if you don't know all the answers, speaking confidently will help you build the customer's trust.

There are techniques that can help you build the trust of the person on the other end of the telephone. The techniques for building a caller's trust are:

Your voice, your words, your attitude, and your body language all contribute to the image you project. In addition to visual cues, auditory cues—like the tone and quality of the voice, and choice of words—contribute to the all-important first impression.

On the telephone, however, the benefit of the visual cues is lost. The person on the other end of the telephone forms an image of you based solely on the tone and quality of your voice, and your choice of words.

Good telephone etiquette is important regardless of whether you are the person placing the call or the person receiving the call. When you place a call, good telephone etiquette includes identifying yourself and stating the purpose of the call. The principles of good telephone etiquette are most useful when you are the receiver of the telephone call.