FOSTERING CREATIVITY IN FOSTERING CREATIVITY IN TEAMS: THE MANCHESTER TEAMS: THE MANCHESTER

BUSINESS SCHOOL BUSINESS SCHOOL EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

Tudor RickardsTudor Rickards

22ndnd AHRC Workshop, Salford, AHRC Workshop, Salford,

May 4May 4thth 2007 2007

Creativity in teams: Two key Creativity in teams: Two key questionsquestions

• Can creativity in work teams be Can creativity in work teams be supported effectively through supported effectively through structured interventions?structured interventions?

• How can creativity of organisational How can creativity of organisational groups be assessed?groups be assessed?

Some backgroundSome background

• Theories of creativityTheories of creativity

• Definitional issuesDefinitional issues

• Applied researchApplied research

• Pioneers, findings and conundrumsPioneers, findings and conundrums

Theories of creativityTheories of creativity

• Multiple theories from psychology, Multiple theories from psychology, philosophy, information science …philosophy, information science …

• Theories mirror broader conceptual Theories mirror broader conceptual fields The variety of domains partly fields The variety of domains partly explains the definitional conundrums explains the definitional conundrums

• One way forward: treat theories in One way forward: treat theories in context (action domains). context (action domains).

More about definitionsMore about definitions

• Rhodes suggests that definitions Rhodes suggests that definitions address aspects of four overlapping address aspects of four overlapping components: The person(s); The components: The person(s); The products; The processes; The products; The processes; The (environmental) press.(environmental) press.

• Working definition: Processes Working definition: Processes generating new and valued outputs generating new and valued outputs (But, new to whom?; valuable to (But, new to whom?; valuable to whom?)whom?)

Applied research pioneersApplied research pioneers

• Torrance (Metrics)Torrance (Metrics)

• Stein (Assessment of techniques)Stein (Assessment of techniques)

• Parnes/Osborn (Brainstorming; Parnes/Osborn (Brainstorming; Creative Problem Solving Institute)Creative Problem Solving Institute)

• De Bono (Lateral thinking; Cognitive De Bono (Lateral thinking; Cognitive studies institute)studies institute)

Applied research findingsApplied research findings

• Psychological factors block creativityPsychological factors block creativity

• Blocks can be weakened through Blocks can be weakened through appropriate structures (‘techniques’) appropriate structures (‘techniques’)

• Creative individuals have some Creative individuals have some common characteristics common characteristics acrossacross domains (ego strength; extended domains (ego strength; extended effort with flexibility; intrinsic effort with flexibility; intrinsic motivation to create)motivation to create)

Stimulating creativity in teams Stimulating creativity in teams

• MBS approach established over several MBS approach established over several decadesdecades

• Applied within project teams exploring Applied within project teams exploring real business issuesreal business issues

• Approach has developed Osborn’s and Approach has developed Osborn’s and • De Bono’s methods in hundreds of De Bono’s methods in hundreds of

projectsprojects• Approach found to be very robust across Approach found to be very robust across

business areas of all kindsbusiness areas of all kinds

Illustrating the MBS Illustrating the MBS approachapproach• A team uses ‘Invitations’ to improve A team uses ‘Invitations’ to improve

novelty and quality of its ideasnovelty and quality of its ideas• The team considers starting ideas for a The team considers starting ideas for a

topictopic• These are enriched with ‘reversals’ and These are enriched with ‘reversals’ and

‘wouldn’t it be wonderful if..’ invitations. ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful if..’ invitations. • Structures and supportive team leadership Structures and supportive team leadership

help develop positive attitudes and help develop positive attitudes and creative integration (‘Yes and…’)creative integration (‘Yes and…’)

Creative ClimateCreative Climate

• Various studies suggest a supportive Various studies suggest a supportive climate is associated with creativity climate is associated with creativity in groupsin groups

• Instrumentation pioneered by Ekvall Instrumentation pioneered by Ekvall and colleagues in the 1970s and colleagues in the 1970s

• More recent inventories by Amabile, More recent inventories by Amabile, Rickards, WestRickards, West

Climate and intrinsic Climate and intrinsic motivationmotivation

• Amabile developed her climate Amabile developed her climate measure (KEYS) in the 1980s-1990smeasure (KEYS) in the 1980s-1990s

• She also proposed a theory of intrinsic She also proposed a theory of intrinsic motivation. motivation.

• A creative climate encourages intrinsic A creative climate encourages intrinsic motivation of individuals. motivation of individuals.

• This has implications for rewarding This has implications for rewarding creativity by ‘non-transactional’ creativity by ‘non-transactional’ meansmeans

Tuckman’s stage model of Tuckman’s stage model of team development team development

• FormForm

• StormStorm

• NormNorm

• Perform Perform

• The model offers no way of The model offers no way of explaining creativity in teamsexplaining creativity in teams

MBS work as an extension to MBS work as an extension to Tuckman’s stage modelTuckman’s stage model

• MBS model suggest that high MBS model suggest that high creative teams behave differently to creative teams behave differently to others in their developmentothers in their development

• Form (more supportive climate)Form (more supportive climate)

• Storm (less damaging storm stage)Storm (less damaging storm stage)

• Perform (more creative performance)Perform (more creative performance)

The MBS Team Factor The MBS Team Factor Inventory (TFI)Inventory (TFI)

• TFI developed to explore factors TFI developed to explore factors influencing team climateinfluencing team climate

• Seven factors identified and Seven factors identified and validated in multiple studiesvalidated in multiple studies

• TFI used to assist team development TFI used to assist team development through creativity training. through creativity training.

Platform of Understanding: Platform of Understanding: The 7 team Factors of TFIThe 7 team Factors of TFI

CreativeLeadership

Platform of understanding

Vision

Climate

Idea Ownership

Resilience

Network activators

Experientiallearning

SummarySummary

• Build creativity into teams through Build creativity into teams through enabling structures and leadershipenabling structures and leadership

• Use assessment as a learning not Use assessment as a learning not labelling aidlabelling aid

• Create processes, contexts, and Create processes, contexts, and opportunities for creative opportunities for creative development, as well as products development, as well as products

To go more deeplyTo go more deeply

• Be a network activatorBe a network activator

• Search widely … chose wiselySearch widely … chose wisely

• Creativity and Innovation ManagementCreativity and Innovation Management is a is a good journal for the reflective practitionergood journal for the reflective practitioner

• http://leaderswedeserve.wordpress.com/http://leaderswedeserve.wordpress.com/ explores creative leadershipexplores creative leadership

• Creative leadership succeeds ‘by invitation Creative leadership succeeds ‘by invitation not assertion’not assertion’