Positive and Negative Drivers of Creativity · creativity than a mere increase in positive affect...
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SEARCH tel. +44 (0)203 031 2900 CHALLENGE US PINNED ACCOUNT LOG OUT HOME ABOUT IDEAS LIBRARY IDEAS BY INSTITUTIONS Home Ideas Library Positive and Negative Drivers of Creativity 10.13007/266 Ideas for Leaders #266 Positive and Negative Drivers of Creativity Key Concept There is no doubt that creativity is essential for organizations to thrive. But how can you inspire creativity in your organization? This Idea suggests that in addition to the popular perception that positivity inspires high creativity, negative affects also have an important role to play. In fact, when a combination of both negative and positive effects occur together, the highest levels of creativity take place. Idea Summary The complexity and competitiveness of today’s business environment means knowledge of how creativity can be stimulated within organizations has become critical for effective managerial practice. Previous research has confirmed that positive affects, such as feelings of happiness and enthusiasm, lead to high creativity. But is positive effect alone all that is needed to encourage creativity, or do negative effects have a role to play as well? In a 2013 Working Paper, Michael Frese from NUS Business School, and fellow researchers Ronald Bledow and Kathrin Rosing, present the analogy of a phoenix—a mythological bird that burns to ashes and subsequently resurrects from its own ashes to become a colourful bird once more. The phoenix repeats this cycle over and over again, and so Frese et al propose that similarly, the emergence of new ideas is often preceded by and depends on a phase of negative effect. Through two studies, they demonstrate that a dynamic interplay of positive and negative affect is related to creativity. In one study, they found that work days on which participants showed their highest levels of creativity were characterized by the presence of positive and negative affects in the morning, and a subsequent increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect. In their second study, they further showed that a shift from negative to positive affect during a time interval of several minutes led to higher Share Authors Bledow, Ronald Rosing, Kathrin Frese, Michael Institutions Singapore Management University Leuphana University Lueneburg NUS Business School Source Academy of Management Journal Idea conceived April 2013 Idea posted November 2013 DOI number Subject Creativity and Innovation Performance Management Happiness & Well-being
Transcript of Positive and Negative Drivers of Creativity · creativity than a mere increase in positive affect...
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Ideas for Leaders #266
Positive and Negative Drivers of Creativity
Key Concept
There is no doubt that creativity is essential fororganizations to thrive. But how can you inspirecreativity in your organization? This Idea suggests thatin addition to the popular perception that positivityinspires high creativity, negative affects also have animportant role to play. In fact, when a combination ofboth negative and positive effects occur together, thehighest levels of creativity take place.
Idea Summary
The complexity and competitiveness of today’sbusiness environment means knowledge of howcreativity can be stimulated within organizations hasbecome critical for effective managerial practice.Previous research has confirmed that positive affects,such as feelings of happiness and enthusiasm, lead tohigh creativity. But is positive effect alone all that isneeded to encourage creativity, or do negative effectshave a role to play as well?
In a 2013 Working Paper, Michael Frese from NUSBusiness School, and fellow researchers RonaldBledow and Kathrin Rosing, present the analogy of aphoenix—a mythological bird that burns to ashes andsubsequently resurrects from its own ashes tobecome a colourful bird once more. The phoenixrepeats this cycle over and over again, and so Frese etal propose that similarly, the emergence of new ideasis often preceded by and depends on a phase ofnegative effect.
Through two studies, they demonstrate that a dynamicinterplay of positive and negative affect is related tocreativity. In one study, they found that work days onwhich participants showed their highest levels ofcreativity were characterized by the presence ofpositive and negative affects in the morning, and asubsequent increase in positive affect and a decreasein negative affect. In their second study, they furthershowed that a shift from negative to positive affectduring a time interval of several minutes led to higher
Share
Authors
Bledow, RonaldRosing, KathrinFrese, Michael
Institutions
Singapore Management UniversityLeuphana University LueneburgNUS Business School
Source
Academy of Management Journal
Idea conceived
April 2013
Idea posted
November 2013
DOI number
Subject
Creativity and InnovationPerformance ManagementHappiness & Well-being
6/3/2015 Positive and Negative Drivers of Creativity | Ideas for Leaders
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creativity than a mere increase in positive affect did.
As negative effects are often conceptualized as theopposite of positive effects, its role in creativity haspreviously been overlooked, or undermined. But asthis study demonstrates, an episode of negative effectcan in fact lay the foundation for high creativity at alater point in time.
Methodology: Frese, Bledlow and Rosing conductedtwo studies to test their hypotheses. For the firststudy, they used a sample of 102 participants whowere first asked to fill out a questionnaire, and later anonline survey each morning and at the end of eachwork day to measure positive and negative effect andcreativity.The second study was experimental and in acontrolled laboratory setting; 80 students wererandomly assigned to one of two conditions. In thecontrol condition, participants worked on a taskfollowed by the induction of positive effect. In theother condition, negative effect was induced first andpositive effect subsequently. Participants’ creativitywas then assessed.
Business Application
This Idea highlights that regulating both positive andnegative effects can act as potential leverage forincreasing creativity and innovation in organizations.For example, leaders can achieve much more in thisrespect if they understand the dynamic interplay ofboth positive and negative effects.
In some situations, for example, it may be better toturn employees’ attentions to problematic aspects of asituation and to induce negative effect. In situations inwhich negative effect is already present, helpingemployees to downplay negative effect and toincrease positive effect would be an effective strategyto increase creativity.
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References
A Dynamic Perspective on Affect and Creativity.Ronald Bledow, Kathrin Rosing & Michael Frese.Academy of Management Journal (April2013). DOI: 10.5465/amj.2010.0894.
6/3/2015 Positive and Negative Drivers of Creativity | Ideas for Leaders
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Further Reading and Relevant Resources
Ronald Bledow's profile at Singapore Management University
Kathrin Rosing’s profile at University of Kassel (previouslyLeuphana University)
Michael Frese’s profile at NUS Business School
Singapore Management University's Executive Education profileon IEDP
NUS Business School's Executive Education profile at IEDP
