The Cranky Middle Manager #71 Creating a Creative Climate- Scott Isaksen
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #071
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Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to Episode 71. Today we’re talking with Scott Isaksen of Creative Problem Solving Group. I came across him in an article about brainstorming in Fast Company.
And speaking of creative, the show is dedicated to Ymir, the Norse giant who sweated out the first people. Now THAT had to be some kind of brainstorm session.
2:50 Our quote of the week is from Voltaire who tells us how to judge a man- and how to start the discussion about creativity and brainstorming and getting good ideas.
3:36 Welcome Scott Isaksen. Brainstorming is suddenly a hot topic again. When you do it right, it’s productive, when you do it wrong it’s frustrating and useless. It’s not a debate, it’s not a discussion. It’s a process and needs to be facilitated correctly. It’s based on rules set out by Alex Osborne, the father of brainstorming.
7:50 Brainstorming is a group technique, but it doesn’t end there…. Scott uses the word ideation, which I challenge, then we coin the word “ideatively”. Use it and you owe the show money.
10:06 There is a media frenzy around creativity and innovation. How can you tell real tools and process from snake oil? Anyone claiming to know their stuff has to focus on three components:
- People
- Process
- Climate
13:28 Scott uses a tool called VIEW an assessment of problem solving styles, which looks at the different ways people generate ideas. Check the tool out here. It looks at three areas:
- What’s their orientation to change (are they explorers or developers)?
- How do they process information (internals or externals)?
- How do they decide (people vs. task)?
19:24 What makes a good creative climate? The manager has great power to create or kill creativity through leadership. Are they challenged and involved? Do they have autonomy? Is there trust and openness? Do they have time to think?
So why are people so afraid of their peers?
23:30 A case study of using tools to consciously create new products.
Resources
Creativity and Innovation Management Journal
Journal of Creativity Research
Insights of Genius by Arthur I Miller
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