Presentation covers Creative Manager types, Traits, Problem Solving Techniques, Creative Teams , Creative Management Practices in HR, Marketing , Operations and Design

1. Corporate Creativity
Gopaldas Pawan Kumar
Excerpts from “ Corporate Creativity”
-The Winning Edge
By Pradip N Khandwalla

2. Creative Manager
Manager is a decision maker
As per Carl Gustav Jung a famous Swiss psychologist humans
can be categorized based on their preferred modes of
perception.
1. S –type: Rely on senses- touch, feel, seeing , hearing etc
2. N-Type: Rely on intuition and mental faculties
3. T- Types: Thinking, analyses , logic, Inquiry etc
4. F- Type: Rely on feelings, sympathy, trust , values
5. I- Type: Introverted, reflective , thoughtful
6. E-Type: Extroverted, interactive, gregarious outward
7. J- Type: Judging, controls, structured, goals.
8. P-Type: Perception Oriented , curious, flexible
P,I,N&T Types are likely to possess Convergent- Divergent
thinking but a creative manager should also possess S,F,E
&J also in reasonable quantity.
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3. Myers – Briggs Test Indicator
As per Katherine Briggs and Isabel Myers manager could
be categorized as having -
1. Thinking and Judging Orientations
2. Sensory and Extroversion
3. Intuition and Introversion
4. Feeling and Perception
Top level executives are high on Extroversion and low on
Sensory orientation.
Common combination found in organizations are ESTJ
and ISTJ
NP (Intuitive and Perceiving) is favored for innovation
and originality and are suitable for R&D , IT , Strategic
planning)
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4. Traits needed for Managerial Creativity
1. Hunger for seeking knowledge.
2. Sensitivity- Empathy and responsiveness.
3. Complexity-Having conflicting ideas , visionary
, moody etc
4. Venturing-Aiming big, risk taking.
5. Independence and courage.
6. Reality contact- Grip on reality.
7. Self-Sufficiency-Confident in taking on
challenging tasks.
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5. Techniques of Creative Problem Solving
1. Brain storming- Invented by Alex Osborn , an ad
executive.
2. Check list of Questions – Also by Osborn- as per
acronym ASARAMOMOA (for Primary Solution)
3. Attributes Changing- Invented by Robert
Crawford- tinkering and modifying the features.
4. Morphological Analysis-Dr Paul Zwiky extended
the concept of attribute changing. Ex : Four
attributes (material, size ,strength and durability)
and four interesting alternatives would yield 4⁴ =
256 options/ alternative solutions to work on.
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6. ASARAMOMOA
Acronym for
1. Add
2. Subtract
3. Alter
4. Rearrange
5. Adapt
6. Magnify
7. Opposite
8. Minify
9. Other
10. Alternative
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7. Techniques of Creative Problem Solving
(Contd……)
5. Synectics - invented by William Gordon . It is used when
other techniques have failed . It is a group activity. Steps
involved :
a. PAU- Problem As Understood
b. EQ- Evocative Question- finding an analogy from anther
field.
c. Force fit- Finding a solution to fit with original problem
6. Breakthrough – Problem shared- Each member to interpret-
Identify stakeholders(affected/problem creators)- teams are
formed for each stakeholder-Each group to restate the
problem- Best Brainstorming solution idea is chosen – each
solution is check listed- Reverse brainstorming- small
groups are formed to develop and refine the same after
discussions with other groups.
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8. Creative Encounters
• Encounters could be in the form of a
nod, smile, grimace or could extend to hours of
discussion.
• Outcomes could range from violent hatred to shared
feeling of sublime intimacy.
• Creative encounters result in Divergent thinking
and novel perspectives.
• There could be dominated , mutually frustrating
and mutually satisfying interactions.
• Unsatisfactory Encounters could be due to
situations( conflict of interest due to power) and
positive / negative motives and skills.
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9. Creative Teams
Creative teams achieve their goals effectively and
innovatively. The traits of Creative Teams are:
1. Shared Values and Purposes.
2. Skills and resources related to task on hand.
3. Structure , role and rules
4. Leadership to understand and respect creativity.
5. Processes need to be reviewed starting with
communications and identify those that conform
and others having deviances.
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10. Creative Management Practices
1. Creative HRM Practices
• Induction of new recruits to a company and providing
training and job rotation orientations.
• Delinquent or rowdy workers are mentored and
reformed for their absenteeism and delinquency
• Training Senior Managers to train juniors. CEO
becoming a trainer. Offsite training programs also may
help.
• Leader should be tough , tender , set personal example
and be good at transactional and transformational
issues .
• Grooming next in line to hold higher positions to
prevent problems in succession.
• Empowering Staff.
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11. Creative Management Practices
2. Creative Growth Strategies:
• By way of expansion, diversification, mergers and
acquisitions and joint ventures.
3. Creative Marketing Management:
• Creating memorable and effective ads and events
would help the companies increase sales.
• Sales Promotion Contests , Dealer management in
Caterpillar way ( Manufacturer- Dealer – Customer
linkage) are all creative management activities that
enhance sales .
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12. Creative Management Practices
4. Creative Management of Operations
• Operational Management was a major area of
creativity in late 19th and early 20th Century .
• Earlier in 1950’s and 60’s mathematics and computer
sciences were utilized through Operations Research
to schedule production, arrive at inventory levels etc.
• Japanese companies introduced successful
manufacturing techniques in 1970’s and 80’s –
JIT, Kanban , TQM , TPM, 5S, certifications of
vendors, encouraging substitutes to reduce cost and
weight , partnering with competition, involving
customers from design stage, using retirees as
suppliers and quality inspectors have impacted
margins.
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13. Creative Management Practices
5. Creative Management of Product Design:
• In competitive market, excellent product design and
processes sell well.
• Excellent product design requires Essence creativity
(Novel ideas) , Elaborative creativity (use of
components effectively) , and Expressive creativity
(unique features)
• As per Tom Kelly of IDEO the basic steps of creative
product design are:- Diverse skills of the team
, knowledge of customer and market , understanding
the needs , difficulties, likes and dislikes of
customers, designers having good visualization skills
, and to develop ideas that could be implemented .
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14. END
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