Chapter 11 - Leadership - MGMT-5370

Brainstorming

A key idea-generation method for even the most advanced technology companies. Brainstorming, much like other creative problem-solving techniques, works best in an organizational culture that fosters innovation. Because the vast majority of employers use brainstorming, it is helpful to have some advanced knowledge of the topic other than that it is simply shouting out ideas.

Pet-Peeve Technique

A method of brainstorming in which a group identifies all the possible complaints others might have about the group's organizational unit. The pet-peeve technique is potentially valuable for a leader because it can help the group improve its work processes. Because it has a good-spirited touch, it is not likely to be perceived as threatening.

Self-Confidence (In Creativity)

Ability to cope with the criticism of new ideas

experience of flow

An experience so engrossing and enjoyable that the task becomes worth doing for its own sake, regardless of the external consequences

intuition

An experienced-based way of knowing or reasoning in which the weighing and balancing of evidence are done unconsciously and automatically.

LO: Describe both organizational and individual approaches to enhance creative problem solving.

Creative thinking can be enhanced by systematically collecting fresh ideas, including collecting ideas, establishing idea quotas, and using whiteboards. Self-Help Techniques to Enhance Creative Problem Solving Practicing creativity-enhancing activities -- An established way to sharpen creative thinking is to regularly engage in activities that encourage flexible thinking. Staying alert to opportunities -- Staying alert to opportunities can be framed as an application of the leader being mindful. -- Opportunity seeking is associated with entrepreneurial leadership because the entrepreneur might build an organization around an unmet consumer need. Maintaining an enthusiastic attitude, including being happy -- Creative thinking calls for a positive attitude. -- The action step is therefore to project oneself into a positive frame of mind when attempting to be creative. Maintaining and using a systematic place for recording your ideas. -- Creative ideas can lead to breakthroughs for your group and your career, so they deserve the dignity of a separate notebook, or computer file, or any other storage device that works. Playing the roles of explorer, artist, judge, and lawyer -- This method calls for you to adopt the four roles in your thinking. Engaging in appropriate physical exercise -- A well-accepted method of stimulating creativity is to engage in physical exercise. Solicit feedback on your performance -- The feedback process is likely to sharpen your imagination.

LO: Be prepared to overcome traditional thinking in order to become more creative.

Creativity requires overcoming traditional thinking. Central task in becoming creative is to break down rigid thinking that blocks new ideas. "Thinking outside the box"

LO: Identify characteristics of creative problem solvers.

Distinguishing characteristics of creative people fall into four areas: knowledge, cognitive abilities, personality, passion for the task, and the experience of flow.

LO: Explain how the leader and the organization can establish a climate that fosters creativity.

Establishing a climate conducive to creative problem solving is a requirement of effective leadership. Group members need to know just how far they can venture from routine thinking. Effective leaders establish parameters, even for their creative thinkers. There are merits of thinking creatively by working within constraints. Special attention should be paid to managing creative workers. There are many leadership practices that focus specifically on enhancing creating and innovation. -- Hire creative people from the outside, and identify creative people from within. -Hire people with the aptitude for, or track record in, being creative. Intellectual challenge. -Matching people with the right assignments enhances creativity because it supports expertise and intrinsic motivation. Empowerment including freedom to choose the method. -An empowering style of leadership facilitates worker creativity. Ample supply of the right resources. -Time and money are the most important resources for enhancing creativity. Effective design of work groups . -Work groups are the most likely to be creative when they are mutually supportive and when they have a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. Supervisory encouragement and linking innovation to performance. -The most influential step a leader can take to bring about creative problem solving is to develop a permissive atmosphere that encourages people to think freely. Organizational support. -The entire organization as well as the immediate manager should support creative effort if creativity is to be enhanced on a large scale Have favorable exchanges with creative workers. -Another insight into encouraging a creative climate is for leaders to have favorable exchanges with group members. Give financial rewards for innovation. -Financial rewards for contributions to innovation help sustain a climate of innovation.

Judge - creativity-improvement techniques

Evaluate ideas that have been developed

Nonconformism

Finding alternatives rather than attaining consensus

LO: Identify several leadership practices that contribute to organizational innovation.

Give creative people tools and resources that allow their work to stand out. Give creative people flexibility and a minimum amount of structure. Give gentle feedback when turning down an idea. Employ creative people to manage and evaluate creative workers. --- - Emphasize transformational leadership if possible. - Continually pursue innovation. - Take risks and encourage risk taking. - Emphasize collaboration among employees. - Avoid innovation for its own sake. - Use loose-tight leadership.

Fostering a Culture of Originality

It is important for workers to generate a large number of ideas because one or two might be breakthroughs. Look to other innovators to judge the original merits of an idea. Solicit ideas from individuals rather than groups. Strike the right balance between cohesion and dissent in your organization because both are needed.

Explorer - creativity-improvement techniques

Speak to people in different fields

Artist - creativity-improvement techniques

Stretch the imagination

Innovation

The creation of new ideas and their implementation or commercialization. An improvement of an existing technological product, system, or method of doing something.

LO: Identify the steps in the creative process.

The creative process involves five steps: opportunity or problem recognition, immersion, incubation, insight, and verification and application. Step 1 is opportunity or problem recognition: A person discovers that a new opportunity exists or a problem needs to be resolved. Step 2 is immersion: The individual concentrates on the problem and becomes immersed in it. Step 3 is incubation: The person keeps the assembled information in mind for a while. Step 4 is insight: The problem-conquering solution flashes into the person's mind at an unexpected time. Step 5 is verification and application: The individual sets out to prove that the creative solution has merit.

insight

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem

Transformational leadership enhances innovation because it _____.

creates an environment of change and growth

Divergent Thinking

expands the number of possible problem solutions (creative thinking that diverges in different directions)

Traditional thinking

generally refers to a standard and frequent way of finding a solution to a problem.

loose-tight leadership

looseness refers to granting space for new ideas and exploration, whereas a tight approach means finally making a choice among the alternatives.

incubation

period of gestation The person keeps the assembled information in mind for a while.

immersion

state of being deeply engrossed; absorption

Creativity

the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas

verification and application

the stage when the decision maker consciously verifies the feasibility of the solution and implements the decision