The Manager's Pocket Guide to Creativity (Manager's Pocket Guide Series)

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THE MANAGER’S POCKET GUIDE TO

CCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITY

Alexander Hiam

HRD PRESSAmherst, Massachusetts

LAKEWOOD PUBLICATIONSMinneapolis, Minnesota

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TTTTABLE OF ABLE OF ABLE OF ABLE OF CCCCONTENTSONTENTSONTENTSONTENTS

IIIINTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTION

PPPPART ART ART ART OOOONENENENE: T: T: T: THE HE HE HE FFFFUNDAMENTALSUNDAMENTALSUNDAMENTALSUNDAMENTALS

PPPPART ART ART ART TTTTWOWOWOWO: P: P: P: PROCESS ROCESS ROCESS ROCESS TTTTOOLS AND OOLS AND OOLS AND OOLS AND TTTTRANSFERALRANSFERALRANSFERALRANSFERAL

❂ The Manager’s Pocket Guide to Creativity

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IIIINTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTION

Reinvent the Wheel?No Thanks—Haven’t Got the Time

PEOPLE OFTEN USE THE EXPRESSION


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Introduction ❂

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About This Pocket Guide

YOU WILL FIND IN THIS GUIDEBOOK


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WWWWHAT TO HAT TO HAT TO HAT TO EEEEXPECTXPECTXPECTXPECT: A Q: A Q: A Q: A QUICK UICK UICK UICK PPPPREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEW

➧ SeeCHAPTER 1

➧ SeeCHAPTERS 2 & 4

Introduction ❂

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➧ SeeCHAPTER 3


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➧ SeeCHAPTER 5

➧ SeeCHAPTERS 6 TO 12

Introduction ❂

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❂ A NotableFeature

➧ SeeCHAPTER 13


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Introduction ❂

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May the force of creativity be with you!

❂ Part OnePart OnePart OnePart One

The FundamentalsThe FundamentalsThe FundamentalsThe Fundamentals

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1AAAASSESSING SSESSING SSESSING SSESSING PPPPERSONAL ERSONAL ERSONAL ERSONAL CCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITY

I TEND TO BE A CONTRARIAN,


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VVVVisualizing Your Creativityisualizing Your Creativityisualizing Your Creativityisualizing Your Creativity

1. Assessing Personal Creativity ❂

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EXHIBIT 1. “Greenhouse Ruin”EXHIBIT 1. “Greenhouse Ruin”EXHIBIT 1. “Greenhouse Ruin”EXHIBIT 1. “Greenhouse Ruin” by Ken Kipenby Ken Kipenby Ken Kipenby Ken Kipen


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AAAASSESSING SSESSING SSESSING SSESSING YYYYOUR OUR OUR OUR CCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITY


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THE PERSONAL CREATIVITY ASSESSMENT

Instructions: Simply check off all the statements that apply to you; thenrefer to the interpretation guides that follow the checklists. Later, you willbe given a creativity matrix on which to plot your assessment results.

PERSONAL ENABLERS

❏ Knowledge. I am aware of many practical techniques forgenerating ideas.

❏ Locus of control. I am empowered to be creative by asense of control over my personal circumstances and fatewhen at work.

❏ Confidence. I am confident of my ability to produce valuablenew ideas and solutions.

❏ Open-mindedness. I am drawn to new perspectives, evenwhen they clash with my assumptions or values.

❏ Experience. I have often benefited from my own and others’creativity in past work experiences.

❏ Role models. There are a number of people in my work-place who have succeeded in part because of their highlevel of creativity.

❏ Leadership support. My leaders (including supervisors andmanagers) encourage creativity.

❏ Leadership openness. My leaders are open to input andenjoy listening to my ideas.

(Continued)


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THE PERSONAL CREATIVITY ASSESSMENT (Continued)

MORE PERSONAL ENABLERS

❏ Rewards. People who exhibit creativity in my workplace arerewarded for their efforts

❏ Training. We receive plenty of good training to help us bemore creative.

❏ Emotional resiliency. I feel secure enough in my workplaceto handle the risks of creativity.

❏ Diverse inputs. My work and hobbies expose me to a widevariety of ideas and practices.

❏ Independence. I am viewed as an independent thinker bymy peers.

❏ Lack of attachment. I am not attached to specific ideas ortheories; I like exploring many alternatives.

❏ Playfulness. I like “fooling around” with ideas, and findcreative thinking and problem-solving activities fun.

❏ Persistence. Once I get thinking about a problem, I don’t setit completely aside until I’ve solved it—even if it takes manyweeks.

❏ Empathy. I am good at sensing what others think and feel,and this skill helps me pick up or add to the good ideas ofmy associates.

(Continued)


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MORE PERSONAL ENABLERS

❏ Self-perception. I see myself as a creative person.

❏ Inventiveness. I like to invent new products and devices.

❏ Boundary-breaking. I often come up with fresh ideas bymaking connections between unrelated things or unrelatedactivities.

Interpretation Guide—Personal Enablers

Add up the check marks to see the number of personal enablers you haveright now. The more you have, the more likely you are to be successfullycreative at work. If you checked 11 or more statements, then you canclassify yourself as having a high level of enablers.

PERSONAL BARRIERS

❏ Acceptance. I tend to take a “don’t rock the boat” attitudeinstead of challenging the status quo.

❏ Low self-evaluation of work. I don’t think the work I doin my job is particularly valuable or worthwhile in the grandscheme of things.

❏ Lack of skill diversity. My work requires a specific, narrowset of skills.

❏ Limited chances for skill development. My work does notgive me many opportunities to develop new skills.

(Continued)


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MORE PERSONAL BARRIERS

❏ No challenges. My work does not challenge me.

❏ No sense of personal responsibility. I don’t feel personallyresponsible for the results of my work because it’s hard tosee how my own contributions affect overall performance.

❏ Limited size of solution sets. We are encouraged to solveproblems in certain ways, rather than to explore unconven-tional approaches.

❏ No role models. Most of the time, my supervisors do not actor think like creative people.

❏ Narrow-minded peer acceptance. My work associates arenot open to new or wild ideas.

❏ Sanctions. People who spend too much time on creativethinking are labeled as trouble-makers or accused of beinglazy.

❏ Fears. I don’t like to contribute too many ideas, because ifpeople think you’re a trouble-maker, things will go badly foryou in the long run.

❏ Personal narrow-mindedness. I guess I’m fairly set in myways. My feeling is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

(Continued)


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❏ Bipolar thinking. I generally prefer to look at twoalternatives—that’s why I often find myself thinking interms of “either/or” solutions.

❏ Overconfidence. At work, we’re pretty certain that ourapproach is the right one—maybe so certain that we don’talways examine alternatives as well as we could.

❏ Time pressures. There is so much pressure to finish onething and get to the next that I rarely have time to take athoughtful, lengthy approach to a problem.

❏ Procedure constraints. I have some ideas about how to dothings better, but I don’t bring them up because they wouldviolate our policies and procedures.

❏ Red tape. There isn’t much point in contributing creativeideas, because they will just get lost in the bureaucracy.

❏ Close-minded leaders. My leaders (supervisors, managers)are not very open to new ideas. They tend to reactdefensively.

❏ Group-process constraints. I’d like to do more creativethinking, but there isn’t much opportunity for it in the waywe run our meetings and projects.

(Continued)


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THE PERSONAL CREATIVITY ASSESSMENT (Concluded)


❏ Conformance pressure. If you don’t look and act the “right”way, you can’t succeed in my workplace.

Interpretation Guide—Personal BarriersAdd up the check marks to see the number of personal barriers you haveright now. Less is more for this scale, as the fewer barriers you have, themore likely you are to be successfully creative at work. If you checked11 or more statements, then you can classify yourself as facing a highlevel of barriers in your job. Any barrier is a potential problem, though;so the best scores are in the 0-to-3 range.


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EXHIBIT 2. Personal Creativity Matrix


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2UUUUNCREATIVE NCREATIVE NCREATIVE NCREATIVE HHHHABITSABITSABITSABITS

NNNNineineineine WWWWaysaysaysays WWWWeeee CCCCloseloseloselose OOOOffffffff CCCCreativityreativityreativityreativity

LET’S BE BRUTALLY HONEST.


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“On my count now, transformyourselves into creative, free-thinking mavericks. Ready?”

2. Uncreative Habits ❂

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TTTTHE HE HE HE NNNNINE INE INE INE BBBBAD AD AD AD HHHHABITSABITSABITSABITS


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✎ EEEEXERCISEXERCISEXERCISEXERCISE::::Generating and Capturing Ideas

1. Get a pencil and some paper, and sit down someplacecomfortable. Set a time limit for yourself, at least fiveminutes.

2. Start writing a running monologue of your thoughts. Anythoughts. The goal is quantity, not quality. Keep writinguntil your time is up.

3. Calculate the number of ideas generated per minute. First,add up all the ideas you wrote; each change in topic ornew angle on a topic represents one idea. Second, dividethe sum by the number of minutes you took to write theideas.

4. Record the calculation in your appointment book (whereyou won’t lose it), and shred, rip up, or otherwise destroythe paper on which you wrote the ideas.


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➠ TTTTO O O O RRRRECAPECAPECAPECAP::::The Nine Bad Habits

Did any of these bad habits ring a bell for you? Start working today tocheck them off your list of ways that you block creativity.

❑ 1. Failure to Ask Questions

❑ 2. Failure to Record Ideas

❑ 3. Failure to Revisit Ideas

❑ 4. Failure to Express Ideas

❑ 5. Failure to Think in New Ways

❑ 6. Failure to Wish for More

❑ 7. Failure to Try Being Creative

❑ 8. Failure to Keep Trying

❑ 9. Failure to Tolerate Creative Behavior


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RRRREFERENCESEFERENCESEFERENCESEFERENCES

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3UUUUNDERSTANDING NDERSTANDING NDERSTANDING NDERSTANDING ttttHE HE HE HE CCCCREATIVE REATIVE REATIVE REATIVE PPPPROCESSROCESSROCESSROCESS

SOME PEOPLE LIKE FORMAL


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TTTTHE HE HE HE CCCCREATIVE REATIVE REATIVE REATIVE TTTTHINKING HINKING HINKING HINKING PPPPROCESS ROCESS ROCESS ROCESS MMMMODELODELODELODEL

3. Understanding the Creative Process ❂

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EXHIBIT 3.EXHIBIT 3.EXHIBIT 3.EXHIBIT 3.

Creative Thinking Process ModelCreative Thinking Process ModelCreative Thinking Process ModelCreative Thinking Process Model


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PRODUCT DEFINITION

Solutions Answers to tough decisions or problems

Innovations New methods or processes

Inspirations Powerful ideas that move or motivate people

Strategies Ways of accomplishing challenging goals

Creations Artistic products or performances

Inventions New devices or objects

Problems Re-definitions of what you are working on

AdditionalInsights

Understandings; new views into the hiddennature of things


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➠ TTTTO O O O RRRRECAPECAPECAPECAP::::The Creative Thinking Process Model

These are the creative thinking steps we have discussed in thischapter. Remember: this is not a “regimental” process.

❂ 1. Recognizing Precipitating Insights

❂ 2. Generating Alternatives

❂ 3. Making Selections

❂ 4. Repeating Steps 2 and 3, Again and Again

❂ 5. Translating Creative Ideas

❂ 6. Learning from the Process

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4UUUUNCREATIVE NCREATIVE NCREATIVE NCREATIVE PPPPROCESSESROCESSESROCESSESROCESSES

MMMMore ore ore ore CCCClassic lassic lassic lassic WWWWaysaysaysaysWWWWe e e e CCCClose lose lose lose OOOOff ff ff ff CCCCreativityreativityreativityreativity

CREATIVE PROCESSES—


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UUUUNCREATIVE NCREATIVE NCREATIVE NCREATIVE PPPPROCESSESROCESSESROCESSESROCESSES—E—E—E—EVERYWHEREVERYWHEREVERYWHEREVERYWHERE

4. Uncreative Processes ❂

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WORKSHEET: GROUP MEETING PLANNER

Fill in this worksheet to make your next meeting more creative.

1. Of all the possible agenda items, which single topic is ingreatest need of fresh, creative thinking?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the most time the group can devote to this topic?

___________________________________________________________________________________

(Now you have the information you need to redefine your agendaso you can focus the group where it will do the most good.)

3. Who is most likely to voice creative or controversial viewson this topic? (Include anyone who fits the description.)

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. Who is most likely to discourage or criticize creative viewson this topic? (You’re a contender for these questions too.)

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

(Now you have determined who should speak first on the topic[see 3] and who should speak last, if at all [see 4]. Be sure tostructure the discussion so as to proceed in this order.)

4. Uncreative Processes ❂

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✂ CCCCUTTING THE UTTING THE UTTING THE UTTING THE UUUUNCREATIVE OUT OFNCREATIVE OUT OFNCREATIVE OUT OFNCREATIVE OUT OFPPPPROCESSESROCESSESROCESSESROCESSES:::: Asking for Creative Ideas

One classic way we close off creativity in meetings is by failing to askmembers for creative ideas. Correcting this problem largely involvespaving the way for enquiry—the focus of these guidelines andsuggestions.

GUIDELINES AND SUGGESTIONS

Asking for creative ideas will be far easier and much more productive ifyou have taken these initial steps:

• Making the meeting safe for creativity• Making time for enquiry

To make the meeting safe for creativity, signal clearly that you’re switch-ing gears to a relaxed, supportive, nonjudgmental period of enquiry. Ifyou normally sit at the head of the meeting table, do something to breakup that authoritarian dynamic. Move to a vacant seat halfway downthe table; or sit on the floor; or invite someone to lead a 10-minutebrainstorming session. Try breaking the group into pairs for a quickideation session, and join the most junior member yourself; then haveeach pair report their ideas to the group, and encourage an unguideddiscussion based on the ideas. Yes, such things add time to yourmeeting. That’s the reason why you must also make time for enquiry.

To make time for enquiry, cut the other stuff on the agenda by half. Limitprogress reports to one minute each—details can always be conveyed inwriting or E-mail. Cut your opening comments, and impose a tough one-or two-minute limit on yourself. Axe all but the most important agendaitems. This might seem a ruthless approach, but if you try it, you may seehow much deadwood actually ends up in meetings—stuff that chokes thegrowth of creativity because no light can get into the process and fosterthat growth.

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5TTTTHE HE HE HE BBBBUILDING UILDING UILDING UILDING BBBBLOCKS OF LOCKS OF LOCKS OF LOCKS OF CCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITY

IT IS OFTEN DESIRABLE


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DDDDEFINITIONS OF EFINITIONS OF EFINITIONS OF EFINITIONS OF CCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITY

OOOON THE N THE N THE N THE RRRROLE OF OLE OF OLE OF OLE OF CCCCREATIVITY IN REATIVITY IN REATIVITY IN REATIVITY IN BBBBUSINESSUSINESSUSINESSUSINESS

OOOON N N N HHHHOW TO OW TO OW TO OW TO BBBBE E E E CCCCREATIVEREATIVEREATIVEREATIVE

CCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYQQQQUOTESUOTESUOTESUOTES

5. The Building Blocks of Creativity ❂

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HHHHUMOROUS UMOROUS UMOROUS UMOROUS QQQQUOTES UOTES UOTES UOTES AAAABOUT BOUT BOUT BOUT CCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITY


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FFFFREE REE REE REE AAAASSOCIATION ANDSSOCIATION ANDSSOCIATION ANDSSOCIATION AND“C“C“C“CREATIVE REATIVE REATIVE REATIVE AAAASSOCIATIONSSOCIATIONSSOCIATIONSSOCIATION””””


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TTTTRADITIONALRADITIONALRADITIONALRADITIONALBBBBRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMING


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EEEEXPLORATORYXPLORATORYXPLORATORYXPLORATORYBBBBENCHMARKINGENCHMARKINGENCHMARKINGENCHMARKING


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BBBBREAKREAKREAKREAK-D-D-D-DOWNOWNOWNOWNBBBBRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMING


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CCCCOMBINATIONOMBINATIONOMBINATIONOMBINATIONBBBBRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMINGRAINSTORMING


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______________________________

__________


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IIIINCUBATIONNCUBATIONNCUBATIONNCUBATION


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CCCCYCLICALYCLICALYCLICALYCLICALCCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITY


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CYCLICAL CREATIVITY FOR SINGLE MEETINGS & SESSIONS

➸➸➸➸ BASIC METHODAlternate intensive blocks of work and meditative break periods. Devote at least45 minutes to each work block and 30 minutes to each break period.

Take the group through at least one full focus/unfocus/focus cycle. Two or threecycles work best. Remember, each cycle entails focusing intensely on the problemand related information, relaxing focus so that ideas can incubate, and returning tofocus with the ideas that developed.

➸➸➸➸ FOCUS PERIODS—SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES• Use focused brainstorming techniques• Diagram or flow-chart the problem• Gather data on the problem or analyze data on the problem• Write a full description or report of the work to date on the problem

The Rules: Stay on the problem. No breaks. Intensity isthe key.

➸➸➸➸ BREAK PERIODS—STRUCTURE

It is important to structure break periods so that the problem and related ideas can“percolate.” No phone calls; no chats at the coffee urn. Suggest that members takea solitary walk inside or outside the company building.

The Rules: Stay “off problem.” Don’t get distracted byother problems either. Disconnect is the key.


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AAAABSTRACTIONBSTRACTIONBSTRACTIONBSTRACTION


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SSSSEQUENCINGEQUENCINGEQUENCINGEQUENCING

PPPPARALLELINGARALLELINGARALLELINGARALLELING


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➠ TTTTO O O O RRRRECAPECAPECAPECAP::::The Building Blocks of Creativity

These are the creativity building blocks we have seen in this chapter.Don’t forget: they have many uses—your imagination is the limit!

❂ 1. Creativity Quotes

❂ 2. Free Association and Creative Association

❂ 3. Traditional Brainstorming

❂ 4. Exploratory Benchmarking

❂ 5. Break-Down Brainstorming

❂ 6. Combination Brainstorming

❂ 7. Incubation

❂ 8. Cyclical Creativity

❂ 9. Informal Brainstorming

❂ 10. Abstraction

❂ 11. Sequencing

❂ 12. Paralleling


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RRRREFERENCESEFERENCESEFERENCESEFERENCES

❂ Part TwoPart TwoPart TwoPart Two

Process ToolsProcess ToolsProcess ToolsProcess Toolsand Transferaland Transferaland Transferaland Transferal

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6TTTTHE HE HE HE CCCCREATERCIZE REATERCIZE REATERCIZE REATERCIZE AAAACTIVITYCTIVITYCTIVITYCTIVITY

“IF IT AIN’T BROKE, BREAK IT!”


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HHHHOW TO OW TO OW TO OW TO UUUUSE SE SE SE CCCCREATERCIZEREATERCIZEREATERCIZEREATERCIZE

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6. The Creatercize Activity ❂

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7TTTTHE HE HE HE MMMMAGIC AGIC AGIC AGIC TTTTOOLBOXOOLBOXOOLBOXOOLBOX

MANY CREATIVITY CONSULTANTS


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7. The Magic Toolbox ❂

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❷❷❷❷

__________


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7. The Magic Toolbox ❂

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8TTTTHREEHREEHREEHREE----SSSSTEP TEP TEP TEP WWWWORD ORD ORD ORD AAAASSOCIATIONSSOCIATIONSSOCIATIONSSOCIATION

WHEN PRESSED TO DEFINE CREATIVITY,

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8. Three-Step Word Association ❂

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EXHIBIT 4. Sample TableEXHIBIT 4. Sample TableEXHIBIT 4. Sample TableEXHIBIT 4. Sample Table

THREE-STEP WORD ASSOCIATION

GOAL: Find a new name for a warehouse store specializing inbedding, bedroom furnishings, and other sleep-related products

RELEVANT IRRELEVANT TRANSFORMATIONS

sleep

bed

pillow

PJs

rest

slumber

feathers

sheet

pillow case

dream

nightmare

alarm

clock

curtain

night stand

dresser

willow, tree, free, fluff, feather,

Eider down

slumber party, lumber, lumber

yard

sleet, sheet of paper, sheet

music

sleep, scream, “to sleep,

perchance to dream”

storage, clothes, lingerie

Down Home

The Slumber Yard

Sheet Music

Perchance to Dream

Alarms & Diversions

Bedroom Personals


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9CCCCATEGORY ATEGORY ATEGORY ATEGORY EEEEXPANSIONXPANSIONXPANSIONXPANSION

WE OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE SAY,

HHHHOW TO OW TO OW TO OW TO UUUUSE SE SE SE CCCCATEGORY ATEGORY ATEGORY ATEGORY EEEEXPANSIONXPANSIONXPANSIONXPANSION

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9. Category Expansion ❂

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EXHIBIT 5. Category MapEXHIBIT 5. Category MapEXHIBIT 5. Category MapEXHIBIT 5. Category Map

EVENTS

PARTY? --On-site --Remote

DAY OFF? Rent a country club?

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY

--Dinner --Award Ceremony --Speech --Trophies/Plaques

FOOD Dinner Baskets? Lunch w/Pres.? Candies? Ice Cream Party?

AWARDS Cash? Best Parking Space? Presents?

ENTERTAINMENT Speech Comedian? DJ, Dancing? Skits? Movies? Trips?

RECOGNITION Trophies? Certificates? Applause?


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10SSSSURFACING URFACING URFACING URFACING AAAASSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONS

WHEN ARCHAEOLOGISTS


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SSSSURFACING URFACING URFACING URFACING AAAASSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONS

10. Surfacing Assumptions ❂

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SURFACING ASSUMPTIONS: QUESTION FORMATS

➸ SET 1: Positive Assumptions

We plan to _________________________________________

in order to accomplish __________________________________

__________________________________________________

What are our assumptions? That:

1. 5.

2. 6.

3. 7.

4. 8.

➸ SET 2: Negative Assumptions

We can’t ____________________________________________

because ____________________________________________

__________________________________________________

What are our assumptions? That:

1. 5.

2. 6.

3. 7.

4. 8.


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SSSSURFACING URFACING URFACING URFACING OOOOBVIOUSBVIOUSBVIOUSBVIOUS/T/T/T/TRIVIAL RIVIAL RIVIAL RIVIAL AAAASSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONSSSUMPTIONS

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RRRREVERSING A EVERSING A EVERSING A EVERSING A KKKKEY EY EY EY AAAASSUMPTIONSSUMPTIONSSUMPTIONSSUMPTION


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PEAR TREE, PAIR TREE. GET IT?

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11. The Fault Pair Tree ❂

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EXHIBIT 6. Sample A, Fault Pair TreeEXHIBIT 6. Sample A, Fault Pair TreeEXHIBIT 6. Sample A, Fault Pair TreeEXHIBIT 6. Sample A, Fault Pair Tree

Computer won’t

turn on

No powerto it

Internalproblem

cord failed

Unplugged

Bad switch

Fuse blown


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EXHIBIT 7. Sample B, Fault Pair TreeEXHIBIT 7. Sample B, Fault Pair TreeEXHIBIT 7. Sample B, Fault Pair TreeEXHIBIT 7. Sample B, Fault Pair Tree


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12WWWWHATHATHATHAT////HHHHOW OW OW OW TTTTHINKINGHINKINGHINKINGHINKING

THIS METHOD COMBINES


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12. What/How Thinking ❂

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EXHIBIT 8. Elevator Function TreeEXHIBIT 8. Elevator Function TreeEXHIBIT 8. Elevator Function TreeEXHIBIT 8. Elevator Function Tree


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EXHIBIT 9. Analysis of Elevator ProblemEXHIBIT 9. Analysis of Elevator ProblemEXHIBIT 9. Analysis of Elevator ProblemEXHIBIT 9. Analysis of Elevator Problem

ELEVATOR’S FUNCTIONS (WHATS)Obvious/Accepted Non-Obvious/Unaccepted

Avoiding stairsGetting to another floor quicklyAvoiding unwanted social contactSaving timeAvoiding exercise

Avoiding getting lost on the wrong floor

Meeting peopleHidingJoy ridingGiving you an opportunity for a short breakWasting timeBoring youEntertaining you?

ELEVATOR’S ATTRIBUTES (HOWS)Obvious/Accepted Non-Obvious/Unaccepted

Door(s)Moving “room”Motor and mechanical stuffLightDecorations (rugs, panels, mirrors)ControlsMusic

Additional decorations?Ads?Waiting area:

BellsLighted buttons/indicatorsSeating?Magazines?TV?TV/movies?View from window/clear walls?


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❸❸❸❸


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EXHIBIT 10. What/How Relationship MatrixEXHIBIT 10. What/How Relationship MatrixEXHIBIT 10. What/How Relationship MatrixEXHIBIT 10. What/How Relationship Matrix

Column Number

Easy Close from Outside

Easy Open from Outside

Easy Open Inside

Easy Close from Inside

Doesn’t Kick Back

Stays Open in Check Position

Crank Is Easy to Reach

Crank Is Easy to Grasp/Hold

Easy to Operate (Man.)

Wipes Dry

Operates Rapidly (Elec.)

Inside Lock Knobs Oper. Easily

Key Operates Easily

Doesn’t Freeze

8

2

4

5

2

5

6

5

6

4

2

6

6

8

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

IMPO

RTA

NC

E (S

cale

12–

9)

1D

oor C

losi

ng E

ffort

O/S

2D

oor O

peni

ng E

ffort

O/S

3D

oor O

peni

ng E

ffort

I/S4

Rea

ch D

ist.

to O

peni

ng M

ech.

5Pu

ll Fo

rce

I/S6

Dyn

amic

Hol

d O

pen

Forc

e7

Stat

ic H

old

Ope

n Fo

rce

8Lo

ck/U

nloc

k Ef

fort

9Lo

ck/U

nloc

k Ti

me

10Ke

y In

sert

Effo

rt11

Key

Ope

ratin

g Ef

fort

12Fr

eeze

Res

ista

nce

Win

dow

Ope

rate

s Ea

sily

Easy

to O

pen

and

Clo

seLo

ck a

ndLa

tch

Easi

ly

Goo

d O

pera

tion

and

Use

Door System Measurables Lock System Measurables

WHATs

HOWs


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➥


159

TTTTHE HE HE HE IIIIMPORTANCE OF MPORTANCE OF MPORTANCE OF MPORTANCE OF CCCCUSTOMER USTOMER USTOMER USTOMER VVVVOICEOICEOICEOICE


160

➥

161

13

TTTTRANSFERALRANSFERALRANSFERALRANSFERAL::::CCCCREATING REATING REATING REATING AAAA CCCCLIMATE LIMATE LIMATE LIMATE FFFFOR OR OR OR CCCCREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITYREATIVITY

WHETHER YOU ARE USING


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TTTTRANSFER RANSFER RANSFER RANSFER CCCCLIMATE AND LIMATE AND LIMATE AND LIMATE AND IIIITS TS TS TS AAAASSESSMENTSSESSMENTSSESSMENTSSESSMENT

“Welcome to your first staff meeting,Johnson. Since you’re new, we thoughtyou could suggest creative ideas forraising profits. And the rest of us will tellyou what’s wrong with them.”

13. Transferal ❂

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THE TRANSFER CLIMATE ASSESSMENT

Instructions: To evaluate the transferability of creativity skills inthe workplace, check off all the items below that clearly apply tothe workplace in question; then read the section on interpretationthat follows.

POSITIVE FACTORS

❏ Supervisors support and encourage use of learning aboutcreativity on the job.

❏ Supervisors have a clear understanding of the learning andhow it should be applied.

❏ People who use their creative skills in this workplace arelikely to receive positive feedback concerning their efforts.

❏ If people know you are working on a creative effort, they arelikely to offer their help and support.

❏ People who use their creativity skills in this workplace arelikely to receive career benefits, such as raises or careeradvancement.

❏ People who use their creativity skills in this workplace arelikely to receive recognition and rewards.

❏ People who make creative suggestions are kept wellinformed about the development of their ideas.

❏ Work provides frequent opportunities to use one’s learningabout creativity.

(Continued)

13. Transferal ❂

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THE TRANSFER CLIMATE ASSESSMENT (Continued)

MORE POSITIVE FACTORS

❏ Some of the most successful people in this workplaceprovide good role models of creativity and its value in work.

❏ Peers (including team members) agree that it is important todevote more time to creativity in the future.

❏ Supervisors will probably set goals concerning the use ofcreativity techniques.

NEGATIVE FACTORS

❏ Most people in this workplace do not view creativity skillsand behaviors as important.

❏ Supervisors discourage individual contemplation andcreative thinking because they are not “physical” activities(people who do them look like they are goofing off).

❏ Peers sometimes discourage creative behaviors.

❏ The organization fails to provide resources needed to usecreativity methods, such as appropriately equipped meetingrooms for group creativity and private places for individualcreativity.

❏ Employees are sometimes penalized for making creativesuggestions.

(Continued)


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THE TRANSFER CLIMATE ASSESSMENT (Concluded)

MORE NEGATIVE FACTORS

❏ It is often embarrassing to share one’s most creative ideas inthis workplace.

❏ People who use creativity skills in this workplace usuallyreceive no feedback on their efforts.

❏ People who use creativity skills in this workplace are morelikely to receive negative feedback than positive from theirsupervisor(s) and/or peers.

❏ People in this workplace cannot be trusted with one’spotentially embarrassing ideas and information.

➥➥➥➥

13. Transferal ❂

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13. Transferal ❂

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➠ TTTTO O O O RRRRECAPECAPECAPECAP::::Process Tools and Transferal

These are the creative process tools and transferal material wehave covered in Part 2. They will get you started on nurturingyour creative greenhouse and helping others do the same. Goodluck, and again . . .

May the force of creativity be with you!

❂ The Creatercize Activity

❂ The Magic Toolbox

❂ Three-Step Word Association

❂ Category Expansion

❂ Surfacing Assumptions

❂ The Fault Pair Tree

❂ What/How Thinking

❂ Transferal: Creating a Climate for Creativity

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IIIINDEXNDEXNDEXNDEX


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Index ❂

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Index ❂

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Index ❂

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The Manager's Pocket Guide to Creativity (Manager's Pocket Guide Series)

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Transcript of The Manager's Pocket Guide to Creativity (Manager's Pocket Guide Series)