Creative Problem Solving and Innovative Arbitration
- 1. Creative Problem Solving and Innovative Arbitration By Robyn Delahunt In the recent past, I have seen creativity as a practical application that is connected to either resourcefulness or artistic endeavor. That seems to be a highly simplified perception coming from a creative person but is typically the realm in which most people regard creativity. The same goes for the idea of innovation. Innovation in the past seemed to be attached to the social or medical sciences due to its connectedness to the concept of investigation and invention. Now these ideas seem limited in conceptualization, but before this class, I did not regard these words outside of a personally designated realm, and though I recognized their worth as positive leadership trait, I did not see that they were necessary elements of effective administrative problem- solving skills. This class and the events that have ironically coincided on my campus with regards to leadership and its destructive tendencies when creativity, compassion, and innovation are not utilized, has caused me to view situations and issues through a different lens as a future administrator and have given me pause to consider their value when staff issues need to be addressed and rectified. This year at school has had the makings of a very interesting reality TV show. There has been a conglomeration of melodrama ranging from deception to betrayal to polarization to libelous gossip spread throughout my department and within the campus administrative tier. These actions have led to the kind of miscommunication, damaged relationships, and unprofessional behaviors that would give valuable fodder to any television executive interested framing the demise of the human condition as the form of entertainment. Unfortunately, when adults engage in such activities, and the individuals who are hired to manage these situations get caught up in these activities, those who are innocent bystanders are the ones most negatively impacted. When teachers and principals are the culpable participants in these situations, it is the students who lose because the adults are shifting their focus from their primary purpose of teaching and supporting children to the drama that is consuming their time and energy. It is in times like these that a good leader demonstrates innovation and creativity in the form of creative problem solving and innovative arbitration to prevent the problem from resurfacing and to assist in the process of creating a safe work environment for all of their employees. Recognizing the need to be highly engaged with your staff and aware of situations within your organization is paramount to early intervention on behalf of a manager, but for reasons still unbeknownst to me, many leaders do not recognize the importance of first-hand involvement with their staff. They typically delegate a subordinate administrator to oversee certain entities with the flawed expectation that that person will be forthright and appropriately reactive to situations that occur under their watch. If the responsibilities are misplaced and the subordinate is not an effective leader or communicator, then bad situations get worse and small complications turn into large problems. The typical knee-jerk reaction of most administrators is to privately berate the chosen subordinate for their lack of leadership and then publicly admonish the employees who are acting out, but this just creates more strife within an already tumultuous situation, leading to more significant and damaging rifts in professional and personal relationships. The purpose of an administrator is not that of levier of admonishments and
- 2. executioner of emotional security, yet many leaders do not understand the far-reaching implications of assuming that role and how damaging it is for their reputation as an effective leader. A leader who is able to creatively problem solve does not yell first and ask questions later. They are involved enough to understand the nuances that come from internal strife and they are engaged enough to intervene in a timely and appropriate manner. A leader who uses their creativity with regards to human management skills will look for alternatives to intimidation tactics and recognizes that employees need to feel happy and safe in order to produce effectively. They will listen instead of talk, they will process before they respond, and they will reflect calmly instead of reacting hastily so that they can solve a problem opposed to create new ones. When issues become highly tenuous, a good manager will find calming tactics to ease the arousal stimulus in their employees because they realize that “extreme negativity coupled with extreme excitement is the hardest emotion to relieve (Nass, 2012, p. 147).” If employees are already upset and the leader adds to the negative feelings, the ability to recover is greatly reduced. A creative and thoughtful manager will take a “King Solomon” approach to problem solving and find creative ways to allow their employees to find resolution with each other without excessive administrative interference. But as I said, this can only happen if the administrator is engaged and aware enough to intervene at an early stage in the conflicts. If problems are allowed to persist and fester, then innovative resolution will have to be employed. Innovative with regards to goal oriented, wellness driven resolution with the intent to heal and not further harm the organization and its members’ overall morale. Employee frustration cannot be allowed to move into the anger or apathy phases because problem solving is much more complicated at these stages. In an anger phase, people are not good listeners and cannot take constructive guidance, and in the apathy stage, people no longer care enough to adjust or evolve, so intervention is best executed at the frustration stage when people still care enough to change and are still willing to listen to suggestions. This is the “grapple and grow” period that Hallowell refers to and that all people confront when they have been at a job for an extended amount of time and socialized, ideological, or philosophical complications arise. Being that we are social beings who need human interaction, issues that involve miscommunication and philosophical differences are going to get in the way of professionalism and behavior management at times, especially when the team is enmeshed due to extended amounts of time of togetherness and extreme interrelation. The employees become a dysfunctional family of sorts and the manager has got to be willing to be the firm but caring parent who steps in with the most appropriate interventions and not simply the disengaged arbitrator of punishment and reprimand. In order to turn the employees around, the manager must be willing to recognize that adding to the stress of an already traumatized team of employees will further damage the morale of the group and will not allow for emotional recovery of those in the storm of emotional unrest and upheaval (Hallowell, 2011, 142). Growth must be a relevant objective to intervention when frustration is diverted by an effective leader. As unpleasant as this school year has been for our team, it has been a practical lesson in leadership and problem solving for anyone willing to step back and observe. I have learned that a good leader does not rely on the information and feedback of others. I
- 3. recognize that emotional deflection in the guise of administrative delegation is a cop out for leaders who want to remain disengaged from their staff by sending a subordinate to do the job they are invariably responsible to execute. Most of all, I have learned that disengaged administrative silence in the midst of organizational strife speaks volumes to the fact that a manager is not ready to be a true leader. With that being said, I take away from the lessons of this year, both academic and practical, the insight necessary to lead as an effective, engaged, and proactive future administrator, willing to speak when it is deemed necessary and silent when listening is imperative. References: Hallowell, E. M. (2011). Shine-Using Brain Science to Get the Best from Your People. Boston, Massachusettes: Harvard Business Review Press. Nass, C. (2012). The Man Who Lied to His Laptop. London, England: Penguin Books Ltd.