Team building lesson

Editor's Notes

• #23: Ask students for their definitions of creativity. Use their comments to lead to the creativity equation. Creative problem solving may be thought of as a kind of “dynamic tension” between many seemingly opposing forces - freedom-discipline; convergence-divergence; relaxation-alertness; patience-impulsiveness; thinking-feeling; perceiving-deciding; learning-problem solving. Describe creativity as a kind of kaleidoscope. Because of each person’s unique knowledge, and how he or she uses that knowledge, creative problem solving is different in every situation.
• #24: The Profile measures two things: One is how a person prefers to gain knowledge, to learn. At one end of the axis is learning through direct experience. This can best be described as learning by jumping right in and getting your hands dirty. If there is a set of directions, they aren’t used. At the opposite end is learning through abstract thinking. This can be described as mentally figuring out what to do before actually trying it, including watching someone else, or asking questions to help get a better understanding. We all fall somewhere in between these two extremes. We all learn using both, but each of us tends to prefer one more than the other and hence we all fall somewhere in between.
• #25: The second thing the Profile measures is how a person prefers to use their knowledge. At one end of the axis is using knowledge to generate options. This is your imagination at work. At the opposite end is using knowledge for evaluation. This is your judgment. Again, we all fall somewhere in between these two extremes. We all have imagination and judgment abilities, but each of us tends to prefer one more than the other and on the graph everyone falls somewhere in between the two extremes.
• #26: Creativity is a complete process -- it is not just “getting ideas” -- it starts with problem sensing and ends in action and involves evaluation and convergent thinking as well as ideation and divergent thinking. It is a disciplined process and has several different stages. Different people have differing skills in the various stages of the creative process. We can improve our skills in the stages in which we are relatively weak (as well as the stages where we are stronger). The person whose Profile is illustrated on this slide has a preference for learning via direct experience and using that knowledge for creating options. This person is a generator.
• #28: The Generator’s two dominant creative problem solving inclinations are (1) learning by direct experience, that is, sensing the world around by touch, smell, taste, hearing and seeing; absorbing knowledge by getting involved personally and experiencing and gathering information, and (2) ideation, that is, imagining possibilities, seeing relevance in everything, seeing different points of view; dreaming about what might be; wondering why things seem to be what they are; speculating about the future. The combination of these two inclinations indicate a preference for problem sensing and fact finding kinds of activities in the creative process. The Generator is an initiator, a proliferator of opportunities, problems, facts and feelings - very sensitive to the world around, absorbing diverse information and possibilities that might have relevance to the organization or to oneself. The Generator is very comfortable with high ambiguity and proliferation of much information and potential opportunity. He loves to get things started and is likely strong in Steps 1 and 2 of the creative process. Generators are idea starters.
• #29: The Conceptualizer’s creative problem solving inclinations are (1) using knowledge for ideation and (2) learning by abstract analysis, logic and theory (trying to develop an understanding or explanation or theory which offers an explanation of a situation; being detached and objective; doing rational, logical thinking; having things make sense in the abstract). The Conceptualizer’s combination of these two inclinations indicate a preference for problem definition and idea generation (Steps 3 and 4 of the Basadur creative process) via a propensity to patiently take a wide range of seemingly disparate facts or idea fragments and possibilities and combine or assimilate them into integrated explanations, theories, problem definitions and ideas to be tested. Conceptualizers are good at extracting and defining the opportunity or problem posing it and developing a list of ideas which may solve it. They are idea developers.
• #30: The Optimizer’s creative problem solving inclinations are (1) learning by abstract analysis, logic and theory and (2) using the knowledge for evaluation by testing possibilities, that is, experimentation (trying to verify theories; confirming ideas and notions; learnings and pinning down practical knowledge gained during testing).   These two inclinations indicate the optimizer to be involved in the practical application of ideas, planning how to make ideas work in the real world and optimizing solutions. In the creative process, this involves testing and rational, logical evaluation of ideas, selection of the best ones and planning concrete steps for making them practical and implementable (Step 5 and 6 of the process). Optimizers are solution developers.
• #31: The Implementer’s combination of inclinations toward (1) using knowledge for evaluation and (2) learning by direct experience indicate a great deal of implementation activity - gaining acceptance from others for changes and making those changes work and stick. (Steps 7 and 8 of the creative process) The Implementer does not worry a great deal about understanding the theory behind the new idea, plan or product. He wants to take it and “run with it”, work with it, show others how to use it, fit it to others’ needs, adapt it to various circumstances, try it one way and if it doesn’t work, try it another way and not worry about why it didn’t work the first way. The Implementer will do anything and try anything including alteration to get the plan or idea or product or solution installed. He will experiment and get directly involved until satisfactory implementation is complete. Implementers are solution finishers.
• #33: Quadrant 4s, Implementers, think that Conceptualizers, Quadrant 2s, should not get paid because they never actually see them do anything; they are always seen thinking and talking, but “never” implementing anything.
• #34: Conversely, Conceptualizers think that Implementers are dangerous because they’ll do anything without ever appearing to actually think about the real problem. Implementers will try one thing and if it doesn’t work they try something else.
• #35: Optimizers view Generators as being “airy fairy” people who are unable to make up their minds and focus on the “real” work. To an Optimizer, Generators come up with five new problems before the first problem they came up with has even been solved.
• #36: Quadrant 1s, Generators, view Quadrant 3s, Optimizers, as being too narrow-minded – the “green eyeshade” people – who cannot, do not see the big picture. Optimizers are very confident that they know the right answer to the problem, but Generators see them as working on the wrong problem.
• #37: Generators: Occupations that require people to initiate change, recognize opportunities and new possibilities, start projects, and to work with people in unstructured situations might thus be expected to contain a relatively high proportion of Generator (Quadrant I dominant) individuals. Typical occupations here would be the artistic and academic professions, marketing, personnel development roles like training and teaching, and other functions responsible for initiating change such as industrial engineering.
• #38: Conceptualizers: fields where defining problems, understanding situations, and creating direction and strategy are important, might be expected to contain a relatively high proportion of Conceptualizers such as: organizational development, strategic planning and research and development, market research, basic research, economics, physics and mathematics.
• #39: Optimizer activities involve solving problems with precision and evaluating and optimizing products and procedures. This should be characteristic of fields such as engineering, IT systems development, finance and accounting, and applied research.
• #40: Implementer fields of endeavor would likely emphasize shorter-term implementation work, for example sales, logistics, manufacturing production, secretarial or administrative support, and project management.