3) Creativity + techniques

• The meaning of creativity

  • Creative thinking is the ability to think of original and innovative ideas
  • Focuses on exploring ideas/ generating possibilities and looking for many answers
• Benefits of creative thinking in the workplace

  • Better/ unique solutions are generated
  • Complex business problems may be solved
  • Improves motivation among staff members
• Ways in which business can create an environment that stimulate/ promotes creative thinking

  • Encourage staff to come up with new ideas/ solutions
  • Encourage alternative ways of working/ doing things
  • Respond enthusiastically to all ideas and never let anyone feel less important
• Delphi technique

  Application:

  • Business invite a panel of experts to research the complaints from customers
  • Experts do not have to be in one place and will be contacted individually
  • Summarise the responses from the experts in a feedback report
• Delphi technique

  Positive impact:

  • Business may use group of experts without bringing them together
  • Information received from experts used to solve complex business problems
  • Conflict avoided especially if all employees are knowledgeable and well qualified

  Negative impact:

  • Expensive technique to use due to high administrative costs
  • Some experts may not have in-depth knowledge of certain topics
  • Time consuming/ complicated to analyse data received from experts
• Force field analysis

  Application:

  • Describe current situation/ problem and desired situation
  • Choose force with highest score as solution
  • Identify priorities and develop an action plan
• Force field analysis

  Positive impact:

  • Employees feel included and understood
  • Employees develop and grow with business
  • Provides visual summary of all various factors supporting and opposing particular idea

  Negative impact:

  • Requires participation of all business units
  • Time consuming since business must stabilise before more changes can be made
• Brainstorming

  Application:

  • Set time limit for each brainstorming session
  • Use each suggestion to inspire new thoughts/ ideas
  • State/ define business problem clearly, that all participants/ stakeholders understand problem
• Brainstorming

  Positive impact:

  • Stimulates creative thinking in workplace
  • People get ideas from others and build on them
  • Better solutions are developed through collective contributions

  Negative impact:

  • Some team members may dominate discussion
  • Discussion may result in conflict due to differences in opinion
  • Fear of criticism may prevent full participation in brainstorming sessions
• Nominal group technique

  Application:

  • Encourage group to clearly define problem/ improve quality of their products due to various complaints so that all small groups can work on the same problem
  • Business must divide employees into small groups
  • Collect ratings and calculate total points
• Nominal group technique

  Positive impact:

  • Provides time to think about question in silence before responding
  • Voting on ideas is anonymous and may be more reliable/ honest
  • Strong technique for preventing conformity to group pressure

  Negative impact:

  • Small groups limit participation and are pre-selected
  • Time consuming, as each member must make presentation
  • Suggestions may not be creative as when group throws ideas around