Unit VIII Create Reflect

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Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VIII

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

2. Apply critical thinking processes to complex issues.

4. Develop strategies to overcome barriers that inhibit creative thinking.

5. Examine leadership strategies that create an organizational culture embracing sustained creative thinking practices.

6. Propose leadership approaches that support teamwork.

7. Develop persuasive arguments through application of creative thinking principles.

8. Create a process to foster creative thinking in a real-world organization. 8.1 Discuss critical thinking in a real-world organization. 8.2 Discuss creative thinking in a real-world organization. 8.3 Discuss problem-solving in a real-world organization.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

8.1 Unit VIII Lesson All Videos Unit VIII Reflection Paper

8.2 Unit VIII Lesson All Videos Unit VIII Reflection Paper

8.3 Unit VIII Lesson All Videos Unit VIII Reflection Paper

Reading Assignment

No chapter reading for this unit.

In order to access the following resources, click the links below.

The following video is a segment from the Intelligence, Creativity, and Thinking Styles video. Review segment 5 of 7. To view a transcript of this video, click on the “Transcript” tab near the top right corner of the page.

Agency for Instructional Technology (Producer). (1997). Creative abilities (Segment 5 of 7) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=9173&loid=1607

The following video is a segment from the Intelligence, Creativity, and Thinking Styles video. Review segment 3 of 7. To view a transcript of this video, click on the “Transcript” tab near the top right corner of the page.

Agency for Instructional Technology (Producer). (1997). Sternberg’s triarchic theory (Segment 3 of 7) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=9173&loid=1596

UNIT VIII STUDY GUIDE

Application of Creative Thinking in a Real-World Organization

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Title The following video is a segment from the Intelligence, Creativity, and Thinking Styles video. Review segment 4 of 7. To view a transcript of this video, click on the “Transcript” tab near the top right corner of the page.

Agency for Instructional Technology (Producer). (1997). Value of each intelligence (Segment 4 of 7) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=9173&loid=1602

The following video discusses methods to overcome blocks in creativity. The transcript for this video can be found here.

TEDx Talks. (2015, May 7). Trick your mind into being creative | Aadil Vora | TEDxNSU [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xWa3Ok2e94

The following video is a segment from the Managing Multiple Sites video. Review segment 4 of 5. To view a transcript of this video, click on the “Transcript” tab near the top right corner of the page.

Video Education America (Producer). (2009). Harnessing creativity and innovation (Segment 4 of 5) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=94124&loid=400065

The following video is a segment from the Managing Multiple Sites video. Review segment 2 of 5. To view a transcript of this video, click on the “Transcript” tab near the top right corner of the page.

Video Education America (Producer). (2009). Managing negative feedback (Segment 2 of 5) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=94124&loid=400063

The following video is a segment from the Managing Multiple Sites video. Review segment 3 of 5. To view a transcript of this video, click on the “Transcript” tab near the top right corner of the page.

Video Education America (Producer). (2009). Using a balanced score card (Segment 3 of 5) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=94124&loid=400064

The following video is a segment from the Cutting-Edge Technologies video. Review segment 12 of 13. To view a transcript of this video, click on the “Transcript” tab near the top right corner of the page.

Window to the World Communications (Producer). (2000). Creative thinking and technology (Segment 12 of 13) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=30236&loid=45910

Unit Lesson

Over the past seven units, we have discussed creative thinking and the important role critical thinking plays in the creative process. A creative person will first perceive the current reality–critical thinking–and then formulate reactions that he or she believes will positively impact that reality–creative thinking. However, as we have discussed, the beauty of this explanation is that creativity does not have to rely on a single individual. Instead, organizational leaders can create an innovative culture that supports innovative teams, which can create a multiplier effect on the overall level of creativity throughout the organization. The focus of this unit is how leaders can establish and support this creative culture of innovation.

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This unit is structured a little differently than the others in that there is not a textbook chapter to read. Instead, there are videos from the Films on Demand area of the CSU Online Library that provide insights from innovative leaders of innovative companies. These leaders discuss some of the elements that are needed in order to develop creative organizational members, which translate into creative organizations.

Decide and Communicate

In order to create a culture of innovation and creativity, organizational leadership must first make a conscious decision that innovation is an important strategic attribute for members to possess. This fact then needs to be disseminated to the entire organization, and actions of leaders need to support this declaration through actions as well as with words. The question for leaders is how exactly to demonstrate or model this behavior.

Hiring Tough

According to William Haseltine, founder and CEO of Human Genome Sciences, and David Huber, founder and CEO of Corvis Corporation, the first step and the most important step is to hire smart, hard-working, and courageous people (Window to the World Communications, 2000). This supports concepts previously discussed as to the importance of critical thinking in the creative thinking processes. In highly technical industries, such as human genome research, the ability to understand the science behind the product being produced and marketed is of critical importance. Haseltine and Huber agree that if one hires folks who are less talented than himself or herself, then the team or organization is in trouble. Therefore, hiring the right people is an important first step.

Many companies have begun asking applicants to explain their experience in problem-solving situations. An example of one of these questions might be to describe a time when you or your team faced a difficult challenge, describe what role you played in solving the problem, and include what the outcome was. The intent here is to ensure that the prospective employee can articulate his or her critical thinking skill in the identification of the problem, creative thinking skills to identify a solution, and communication skills to describe the situation effectively. An additional benefit of questions, such as this, is that the prospective employer can help to identify how well the prospective employee can work in a team environment. In a lighthearted example, a relatively recent comedic movie featured that two more “experienced” applicants for available internships were asked if they were shrunk down and put into a blender and the blender was about to be turned on, how would they get out? Their response was predictably ridiculous, but the question itself is the kind that could be employed in order to test an applicant’s creative thinking skills. Once they are hired, they need to be empowered to be creative and innovative.

Empowerment

Let’s start with a rhetorical (trick) question about empowerment: Who has the power to empower employees? The answer is that people who believe that a leader can “empower” employees tend to have a misperception about how empowerment works. While leaders can create an environment through which empowerment can result, it is not a right that can simply be bestowed upon a subordinate. In fact, it could be argued that to provide a subordinate with the power to make decisions without properly training him or her on how to make that decision is actually unethical, and even mean. This assertion touches on the real process of empowerment: training.

Bandura explains that one’s self-efficacy is the belief that he or she can accomplish a specific task. Bandura continues by stating that the most effective way for an individual to increase his or her self-efficacy is through self-mastery experiences (Agency for Instructional Technology, 1997). This means that if the individual successfully accomplishes the task once, then he or she will be more efficacious about the possibility that it can be accomplished again. If a leader wants to empower employees, particularly when it comes to creativity and innovation, an important step will be to establish some opportunities for them to solve simpler problems or more difficult problems in a safe environment in order to increase this efficacy.

A perfect example of this can be seen in one of our favorite contexts, the United States Marine Corps. The USMC has a concept known as decentralization of command. This means that the commander will issue an order establishing the objective of a particular mission. This order will describe the process the commander believes will yield the best results. However, the lower-level leaders who are going to execute the mission have the power, and indeed are expected, to change the process of mission accomplishment if circumstances on the ground warrant. However, these junior leaders are not just expected to know how to do this. Instead,

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Title they train tirelessly on scenarios, reviewing after-action reports, identifying possible mistakes, correcting the mistakes, and repeating the training until successful.

Feedback

Notice that the after action reports are a critical part of the process in the training evolution. While the intensity of most civilian organizations is a bit lower than that of a Marine unit, the same process can be implemented. Suzanne Dvorak, Australian Businesswoman of the Year, discusses the importance of feedback, citing the use of both 360-degree reviews and annual performance evaluations (Video Education America, 2009). These reviews offer opportunities to provide coaching and training, as well as reward high-performing, highly creative, and innovative employees.

These feedback sessions also provide a vehicle for the employee stakeholders to “influence up,” impacting the direction of the organization. Again, this requires strong, intelligent, and courageous employees. It might be important for a subordinate sometimes to tell his or her superior that an idea might not work. However, the leader needs to be receptive to this type of subordinate input. A plant manager once had the corporation invest millions of dollars in refitting the facility only to then fail to meet established production targets. In a meeting, the plant manager discussed the courage he showed in telling the division president that they were not going to make it to the monthly goals. However, when a lower-level manager explained that the process was flawed, the plant manager’s reaction was to chastise his subordinate for not leading his team properly. The implication was that the process would work if only the workers would utilize it. This was a fallacy, and it cost the company quite a bit of money and the plant manager his job. In the end, the suggestions made by the lower-level manager were implemented, and the plant was successful. As a leader, it is critical to listen to those who know the process best–the ones using it.

Robert Sternberg, Professor of Psychology and Education at Yale University discusses the importance of reinforcing creativity and innovation if it is to continue (Agency for Instructional Technology, 1997). Professor Sternberg tells a story about a third-grade teacher who balked at his daughter’s creative idea about how to complete a project. His story ends with the lesson that if innovative ideas are summarily dismissed, then the lesson learned is to stop offering them. Not every idea is going to work, and leaders have to be able to understand this and exercise judgment as to which ones to implement. However, if the desire is to create the culture of innovation, then the leader should take the time to work through the idea with the one who offered it in an individual setting, not unlike the feedback sessions suggested previously.

Conclusion

The purpose of this lesson is to pull the course together and provide a process for leaders to encourage and support creative thinking and innovative behaviors. The first step is to make the conscious decision that creativity is an important strategic attribute and then seek employment candidates that exhibit this trait. Once these folks have been hired, then training should be implemented that will increase followers’ self-efficacy, thus empowering them to be creative in the solving of problems. Finally, and this is most effective when tied to the training, provide feedback to followers as the training evolutions are completed. These training sessions should be designed in such a way that mistakes are acceptable and should include the kind of after action type reporting that facilitates learning and performance improvement. Finally, as a leader it is critical that ideas of those actually performing the value added work have an avenue for voicing creative ideas.

References

Agency for Instructional Technology (Producer). (1997). Intelligence, creativity, and thinking styles [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=9173

Video Education America (Producer). (2009). Managing multiple sites [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=94124

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Window to the World Communications (Producer). (2000). Cutting-edge technologies [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=30236