Leading for Creativity and Innovation

Rene Barrett

Kefalonia

1895

1894

1896

1896

Looking ahead, glancing back

We will:

• surface leadership styles which encourage innovation and align with the #Leading GM expectations • learn how to build and maintain a talented, motivated team – building on the notion of intrinsic motivation • review latest thinking on how compassionate leadership stimulates innovation – unpacking and exploring the recent paper by Michael West – “Caring to Change” • explode the myth of creativity being an innate talent – creativity is a skill that can be learned, developed and applied • share creative thinking models and strategies that will challenge you and help you review existing perspectives and consider alternative solutions to “tricky issues” • apply a range of creativity tools and models to address current #leadingGM tricky issues

Leading for Creativity and

Innovation

Self - Efficacy

Audit Your Day Yesterday

Positive Emotional States

Build Commitment and Creativity

(Source: Fredrickson 1998, Frederickson & Brannigan 2005, Isen 2000, Fredrickson 2009)

1. Joy

2. Gratitude

3. Serenity

4. Interest

5. Hope

6. Pride

7. Amusement

8. Inspiration

9. Awe

10. Love

Research studies show that

Positive Emotional States ........

(Source: Fredrickson 1998, Frederickson & Brannigan 2005, Isen 2000, Fredrickson 2008)

Increase our peripheral vision We connect ideas better, more creative We connect with people better Improve decision-making Increase a sense of “we” v “me” Reduce a sense of them and us Increase open-mindedness, curiosity Promote helping-behaviour (altruism) Stimulate emotional agility More able to handle complexity Greater willingness to accommodate ambiguity or uncertainty Promotes physical health Prolongs life by 7-10 years

Leaders as “signal generators”

• “As a leader, think of yourself as a “signal generator” whose words and actions are constantly being scrutinised and interpreted, especially by those below you [in the hierarchy]”

• “Signal generators reduce uncertainty and ambiguity about what is important and how to act”

Charles O’Reilly, Leaders in Difficult Times, 2009

Happiness - Emma Sepp

Happiness research shows biggest obstacle to creativity is being too busy…….. Modern life impedes creativity………

• Make a long walk – without your phone – a part of your daily routine

• Daydream

• Get out of your comfort zone

• Make more time for fun and games

• Alternate between doing focussed work and activities that are less intellectually demanding

Daydreaming

Daydreaming • Where did you go?

• What did you experience?

• Did you experience anything odd or fantastic or

beautiful in your daydream?

• Did you have difficulty with the exercise? Why

might that be?

• Where might you daydream best?

• What stops us from daydreaming?

• Do you think daydreaming might have any

practical value?

Current Thought Leaders Michael West - Compassion and Innovation

Jeremy Scrivens – Kindness

Institute for Healthcare Improvement – Joy

Emma Seppala – Happiness and Fulfilment

Sir Ken Robinson – Education and Creativity

Tal Ben–Shahar – Employee Purpose

HBR – Positive psychology

Laura Delizonna – Psychological Safety

Jorge Barba – Innovation

Jeremy Scrivens

Jeremy Scrivens

“A happy workforce is wired for collaboration and innovation by a culture of kindness”

www.emotionaleconomy.com.au

Michael West

“What leaders focus on, talk about, pay attention to, reward and seek to influence, tells those in the organisation what the leadership values and therefore what they, as organisation members, should value.”

Compassion and Innovation

Twiddlemuffs Cheryl Atkins Nurse at Watford General Hospital

West Herts Hospital Trust

The challenge?

Heig

ht

in I

nches

Scissors

Western Roll

Fosbury

Flop

Straddle

Scissors Fosbury Flop

1900 1920 1952 1968 1996

Heig

ht

in i

nch

es

Years

1.One

2.Thirteen

3.Thirty - one

Epstein Creativity Competencies

Principles of Creativity…….

Creativity is a skill that everyone can learn,

practice and use

Our culture and habits of thinking insist that

we always move towards certainty. We need

to pay equal attention to possibility.

Build up – don’t knock down

Challenge our perceptions and assumptions

What is creativity?

What hinders creativity?

What helps creativity flourish?

Exercise

“Creativity is inventing,

experimenting, growing, taking risks,

breaking rules, making mistakes and

having fun!”

M. L. Cook

Suggested Approach

• Separate ideas generation from

evaluation

• Avoid patterned thinking

• Create new perspectives

• Minimise negative thinking

• Consider taking risks

Exercises or games

Have fun! Do not make judgements

There are no right answers…some may be more

practical, more unusual or offer a higher value return

Emphasis is on the creativity of “what can be” rather than the

usual education emphasis on “what is”

Creativity Training:

Brain Boosting Exercises

Suggested Approach

• Separate ideas generation from evaluation

• Avoid patterned thinking

• Create new perspectives

• Minimise negative thinking

• Consider taking risks

Tools and Techniques

• Creative Brainstorming

• Appreciative Inquiry

• Lotus Blossom Technique

• Six Action Shoes

• Mindfulness

Creative Brainstorming

Appreciative Inquiry

“Start from what’s strong not wrong”

David Cooperrider

Lotus Blossom Technique

Six Action Shoes

Putting it into practice

Your issues?

Putting it into practice

1. How do we reduce begging in our town centre?

2. How do we get more businesses' to participate in the apprenticeship agenda?

3. How do we enable staff (everyone) to be confident, capable and motivated to take more responsibility for their own health and wellbeing?

4. How can we improve end of life care?

5. How can we ensure disabled YP and their families have access to services they need and are entitled to?

6. During system change how do we get buy in from front line staff?

DEFER ALL JUDGEMENT WHEN

GENERATING IDEAS

“The best way to find a good idea is to have lots of them and throw the

bad ones away.”

Thriving and Creativity

In small groups discuss what your team need

from you to help them thrive and be more creative.

South West Airlines

Forbes – Improving Workplace Creativity

• Meditate

• Require it as part of process

• Take thought leadership days – research and read

• Spend time together

• Stage a creative competition

• Allow (encourage) off computer time

• Change your environment

• Meeting Monday, Task-blaster Tuesday, Winning Wednesday, Thoughtful Thursday and Financial Friday

• Get all hands on deck – brainstorm in mixed groups /hierarchy

Leadership: Creativity and Innovation – William R Klemm

• Create the right environment – creativity is contagious

• Expect creativity

• Challenge people

• Create a system of rewards for creativity

• Get people involved, immersed in problems

• Get rid of disincentives - fear

• Give your people some slack, freedom and time for meditation

• Be quick to recognise and use – error, good ideas

• Change attitudes about conformity

• Create a climate for discussion and disagreement

• Optimise interpersonal interactions

• Get the right people together

• Give people autonomy

• Regroup people regularly

Leadership: Creativity and Innovation – William R Klemm

What a Culture of Innovation

Looks Like - Jorge Barba

Checklist Exercise

Anchors

Contact Details:

• Rene Barrett

M. 079500 27327

@renebarrett