creativity & leadership
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Creativity & Leadership. Jeanne Michalski, Ph.D. Creativity & Leadership. MANAGEMENT vs. LEADERSHIP. Creativity & Leadership. Managers – See Different Things Leaders – See Things Differently. Creativity & Leadership. Managers – Motivate People Leaders – Inspire Them. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Creativity & Leadership
Jeanne Michalski, Ph.D.
Creativity & Leadership
MANAGEMENT
vs.
LEADERSHIP
Creativity & Leadership
Managers –See Different Things
Leaders –See Things Differently
Creativity & Leadership
Managers –Motivate People
Leaders –Inspire Them
Leadership
Experience +Creativity +
Management =
Experience
Experience is essentially the accumulation of “Assets”:
• Skills
• Knowledge
• Credentials
Experience
Experience leads to an understanding of cause and effect:
• Look at the big picture
• Work environments are not stable
• Events don’t often happen in isolation
• Chain of events
Experience
Experience also means developing contacts:
• Knowledgeable others
• Diverse viewpoints
• Professional and personal
• NetworkingInexperienced people tend to be captive to a small circle of acquaintances
Management
Management functions:
•Scheduling activities
•Assigning responsibilities
•Training
•Resource allocation
•Anticipating problems
•Coordination with outside entities
•Monitoring results
Creativity
Creativity – what is it?
Are you a creative person?
Creativity
Creativity – what is it?Some define creativity as -
Something needed when there are no models in our experience for a problem’s solution
Transforming one thing into another
The making of the new or rearranging of the old in an new wayInnovative ideas take hard work and effort.
They don’t just fall from the sky.
Creativity
Some men see things that are, and ask 'Why?'
I see things that never were, and ask 'Why not?'
Robert F. Kennedy
Creativity
Creativity:
• Novel associations that lead to new outcomes
Creativity
Requirements for creativity:
• A pool of inputs
• The ability to see novel connections amongst them
• The courage to pursue them
Creativity
oholene
Creativity
Barriers To Creativity Psychological Barriers Cultural Barriers Environmental Barriers Thinking Language Blocks Functional Fixedness Habitual Ways of Visualizing
How can we enhance our Creativity
Relax Expand your horizons
Listen Read Observe
Don’t sweat mistakes Seek agreement to be creative up
front
Originally Extracted from: “A Whack on
the Side of the Head: How to Unlock YourMind for Innovation”
by Roger Von OechPublisher: Warner Books; (October 1983)ASIN: 0446380008
Why be Creative?
1. CHANGE When new information comes into existence and circumstances change, it is no longer possible to solve today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions.
2. FUN
“Mental Locks” that get in the way of Creative Thinking “There is only one right answer”
Tip: A good way to be more creative is to look for the second right answer.There are many ways to pursue this answer, but the important thing is to do it.
“Mental Locks” that get in the way of Creative Thinking “That’s not logical!” – All answers
must be practical
Tip: For more and better ideas, use a good dose of soft thinking in the germinal phase, and a hearty helping of hard thinking in the practical phase.
“Mental Locks” that get in the way of Creative Thinking “”Mistakes must be avoided at all costs” Tips – If you make an error, use it as a stepping-stone
to some new idea you might not have otherwise discovered.- Strengthen your “risk muscle”. Everyone has one, but you have to exercise it or else it will atrophy. Make it a point to take at least one risk every twenty-four hours.- Remember these two benefits of failure: First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn’t work. And second, the failure gives you an opportunity to try a new approach.
“Mental Locks” that get in the way of Creative Thinking “That’s not my area - Solutions come
from specialists” Tips – Develop the hunter’s attitude, the outlook
that wherever you go, there are ideas waiting to be discovered.- Don’t get so busy that you lose the free time necessary for idea hunting. Schedule hunting time into your day and week. Little side excursions can lead to new hunting grounds.- Look for analogous situations. Often problems similar to yours have been solved in other areas.
“Mental Locks” that get in the way of Creative Thinking “Don’t be Foolish” Tips – Occasionally, let your “stupid
monitor” down, play the fool, and see what crazy ideas you can come up with.- Recognize when you or others are conforming or putting down the fool. Otherwise, you may be setting up a “groupthink” situation.
How can we enhance our Creativity
Criticize kindly Look beyond the answer Write down all the ideas Use “brainstorming” Value and seek out diversity Ask for feedback
Creative Leadership
Good News:Creativity barriers can be overcome.
Bad News: You have to work at it!!