ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries A p r il 1989 / 279 C r e a tiv ity in t h e w o r k p la c e By Anne T. Ostrye Assistant Director fo r Information Services University o f W yom ing Libraries A report on the A C R L President’s Program in New Orleans. T he ACRL President’s Program at the 107th ALA Annual Conference presented “Creativity in the Workplace: From Conception to Application.” The 400 participants were held spellbound in a cre­ ative atmosphere for the 21/2 hour program. Scott G. Isaksen from the Center for Studies in Creativity, State University College at Buffalo, dis­ cussed basic concepts, theories and current re­ search on creativity. Susan Jurow , associate direc­ tor of the Association of Research Libraries, Office of M anagem ent Services, followed Isaksen and presented practical techniques to foster creative problem-solving in the workplace. According to Isaksen, creativity is seen by most people as so mysterious th at it cannot be studied; as so magical that only a few gifted souls are really creative; or as somehow linked to madness—the creative individual is perceived as w eird or abnor­ m al. C reativity, how ever, has been subject to nearly forty years of scientific inquiry, research, and writing, and Isaksen presented the results of several of these studies. Further, he views creativity as a multifaceted phenomenon w ith numerous definitions. But these definitions have one common thread: creativity is “novelty th at is useful.” T hat is, the process of crea­ tivity must produce something th at is useful. His form ula for the process is Cf (K,I,E). T hat is, the function (f) of creativity (C) is knowledge (K), imagination (I), evaluation (E). It is an ongoing, dynamic concept. Isaksen brought the concepts of creativity down to earth for the audience by describing four related elements of creativity as outlined by Rhodes in 1961: 1) Personality, or, the traits, characteristics or attributes of the creative personality must be un­ derstood. 2) Process, the stages of thinking creative people use to invent a new, useful product, must be described. 3) Product, the qualities of the product which make it both novel useful must be under­ stood. 4) The nature of an environment conducive to creative thinking must be understood. He then discussed the work of Torrance on the creative personality done in the 1950s. Torrance studied the cognitive and affective characteristics of highly creative people, including fluency, flexi­ bility, originality, elaboration, curiosity, complex­ ity, risk-taking and imagination. The model Torrance uses for predicting high- level creative behavior goes beyond identifying specific characteristics. Instead, he considers three broad categories of personality including abilities (things like intelligence), motivations and skills. His conclusion is th at if you w ant to predict high levels of creative behavior it is im portant to have reasonably high levels of all three of these catego­ ries. Having an extremely high level of one would not be as productive as having an above average level of all three. Isaksen continued demystifying creativity by de­ scribing four stages in the creative process: 1) prep­ aration, (investigating the problem in all direc­ 280 / C& RL News tions), 2) in c u b a tio n (th in k in g a b o u t th e p roblem in a “n o t conscious” m a n n e r), 3) illu m in a tio n (the ap p ea ran c e of a “h a p p y id ea ”), a n d 4) v erificatio n (m aking it a re ality a n d re d u cin g th e id ea to a n ex­ a ct fo rm ). P r e p a ra tio n a n d v e rific a tio n a re th e stages t h a t c onnect w ith th e outside w o rld , h e lping a person d eal w ith re a lity a n d m ak e th e c reative p ro d u c t useful. T h e tw o o th e r stages, in c u b a tio n a n d illu m in a tio n , a re in te rn a l processes. T hese stages m ak e p ro d u c ts novel or creative. By u n d e r­ sta n d in g th e c rea tiv e process, a person can develop creative problem -solving tec h n iq u es, b ecom e m ore im aginative, a n d thus becom e m ore effective in both th in k in g a n d action. T h e crea tiv e p ro d u c t is really th e basis o n w h ic h all research on c re a tiv ity rests. A c rea tiv e p ro d u c t is new a n d it is useful, re le v an t a n d tran sfera b le . Again, to b e crea tiv e , th e p ro d u c t m u st h ave “nov­ elty t h a t is useful.” Finally, the environm ent m ust be conducive to cre­ ative problem-solving. Isaksen pointed o ut th a t in most organizations novelty is disconcerting a nd hard to m anage in a group setting. However, an atm o­ sphere favorable to creativity fosters innovation and creative problem-solving. Based on w ork conducted by Ekvall at the Swedish Council for M anagem ent and W ork Life Issues, the C enter for Studies in Crea­ tivity has identified ten com ponents th a t shape a n en­ vironm ent conducive to creativity and innovation: 1) C hallenge. A h ig h-challenge clim ate results w hen th e people a re experiencing joy a n d m e a n ingfulness in th e ir w o rk , a n d th e re fo re , th ey invest m uch energy. 2) F re e d o m . In a c lim ate t h a t allow s in d ep e n dence in b e h av io r, people m ak e c o n ta cts to give a n d receive in fo rm a tio n . T h ey discuss problem s a n d a lternatives. T h ey p la n a n d ta k e initiatives o different k inds. T hey c a n m a k e decisions. 3) Id e a S u p p o rt. In a su p p o rtiv e c lim ate, ideas a n d suggestions a re received in a n a tte n tiv e a nd kin d w a y by supervisors a n d co-w orkers. People lis te n to e ach o th e r a n d en co u ra g e in itiative. T h e a t m osphere is c o nstructive a n d p ositive. 4) T rust/O penness. W h e n th e re is a stro n g level of tru st, everyone in th e o rg a n iz a tio n dares to p u t fo rw a rd ideas a n d o p inions. In itia tiv e s c a n be ta k e n w ith o u t fe a r o f reprisal or rid ic u le in case of failure. C o m m u n ic a tio n is o pen a n d stra ig h t for­ w a rd . 5) D y n a m ism /Liveliness. In a h ig h ly d ynam ic situ a tio n , n e w th ings a re h a p p e n in g all th e tim e a n d a lte rn a tiv e s b e tw e e n w ays of th in k in g a b o u t a n d h a n d lin g issues o ften arise. T h e re is a k ind of psychological tu rb u le n c e w h ic h is d e sc rib e d by p e o p le in those o rg anizations as “full sp e e d ,” “go,” “b re a k n e c k ,” “m a e lstro m ,” a n d th e like. 6) P la y fu ln e ss /H u m o r. A re la x ed a tm o sp h e re w ith jokes a n d la u g h te r chara cte riz es th e o rg a n iz a ­ tio n w h ic h is h ig h in th e crea tiv e dim ension. 7) D ebates. I n th e d e b a tin g o rg a n iz atio n m an y voices a re h e a rd a n d people a re keen on p u ttin g fo rw a rd th e ir ideas. ­ ­ f ­ ­ S co tt Isaksen 8) C onflicts. W h e n th e level of c o nflict is high, groups a n d single in d ividuals dislike e ach o th e r a n d th e c lim ate c a n be c h a ra c te riz e d b y “w a rfa re .” Plots, tra p s , gossip a n d sla n d er c h ara cte riz e life in th e o rg a n iz atio n . W h e n conflict in th e org a n iz a ­ tio n is low , people b e h av e in a m a tu re m an n e r; th ey h a v e p sychological insight a n d c o n tro l of im ­ pulses. 9) R isk-taking. In a n e n v iro n m e n t t h a t favors ta k in g risks, decisions a n d a ctions a re p ro m p t a n d ra p id . O p p o rtu n itie s a re ta k e n as th e y arise a n d a ction is p re fe rre d to d e ta ile d investigation a n d analysis. In a risk-avoiding c lim ate th e re is a c a u ­ tious, h e sita n t m en ta lity . P eople try to b e on th e “safe side.” T h ey decide to “sleep on th e m a tte r .” T hey set u p c o m m ittees a n d cover them selves in m a n y w ays before m a k in g a decision. 10) Id e a T im e. T his is th e a m o u n t of tim e people c a n use (and do use) for e la b o ra tin g n ew ideas. In th e h igh id ea -tim e situ a tio n , it is possible to discuss a n d test im pulses a n d n ew suggestions t h a t a re n ot p la n n e d o r in clu d e d in th e task assignm ent; people te n d to use these possibilities. W ith a n u n d e rsta n d in g of th e crea tiv e perso n al­ ity, th e crea tiv e process, th e p ro d u c t a n d th e need fo r a n a tm o sp h e re conducive to crea tiv ity , th e a u ­ d ience w as re a d y for Susan J u ro w to p re sen t v a ri­ ous te c h n iq u e s t h a t le a d to c re a tiv e p r o b le m ­ solving in th e ir o w n w ork situ atio n . Ju ro w b e g an by a rtic u la tin g th e reason so m an y lib ra ria n s w e re a tte n d in g a w orkshop on c rea tiv ­ ity . F u n d a m e n t a ll y , lib r a r i a n s n e e d a n d w a n t n e w er a n d fresher ideas, flexibility in facing new d e m a n d s, a n d ideas fo r n e w answ ers to old d e ­ m ands. I n choosing tec h n iq u es to foster new , c reativ e problem -solving, a p e rso n needs to d ecide his or her perso n al strengths a n d weaknesses a n d th e k in d of re su ltin g p ro d u c t h e o r she is striv in g fo r given th e context of th e p ro b le m . Ju ro w observed t h a t th e re a re no sim ple, quick April 1989 / 281 a n d a c c u ra te m easurem ents fo r different levels of creativity. T h e re a re, h ow ev er, som e psychom etric instrum ents to m easure styles of c reativ ity a n d th e styles t h a t a p e rso n m ay n a tu r a lly use. She d e ­ scribed th e K irton A d a p tio n -In n o v a tio n In v e n to ry fo r th e audience. M ichael K irto n th eo rized t h a t th e in d ividual style of c rea tiv ity is re la te d to th e w ay a n ind iv id u a l tends to define problem s a n d m ake decisions. People te n d to p re fe r e ith e r an adap tiv e a p p ro a c h o r an inn o v ativ e ap p ro ac h . Ju ro w d e­ fined these a p proaches a n d asked t h e audience to exam ine w h a t a p p ro a c h th e y p re fe r to use in daily w ork. A d a p to r s a re d is c ip lin e d in t h e i r p r o b l e m ­ solving, w o rk in g w ith in th e bou n d aries of a p ro b ­ lem as it is d efined. F o r exam ple, if asked to study h o w th e lib ra ry could b in d periodicals in a m ore cost-effective m a n n e r, a d a p to rs w o u ld study th e fee stru c tu re of differe n t b in d ers, explore th e costs of in-house b in d in g , a n d exam ine th e feasibility of m icroform re p la ce m en t. T h e a d a p to r’s c o n trib u ­ tio n is often v iew ed in term s of th e ir precision, reli­ ab ility a n d de p en d a b ility . In n o v a to rs see them selves a n d a re often seen by others as undisciplined w h e n it com es to p ro b lem ­ solving. T h e y t h in k ta n g e n tia lly , a p p ro a c h in g problem s from seem ingly o d d angles. T hey c h al­ lenge p ro b le m d e fin itio n s a n d q u e stio n th e as­ sum ptions t h a t o th ers h ave m a d e a b o u t problem s. In th e above exam ple of b in d in g , th e in n ovator w o u ld question th e need to b in d th e journals a nd even could go so fa r as to q u estion th e n eed to sub­ scribe to th em a t all. In ste ad , th e ir solution m ight be to c o n tra c t o u t fo r a service to p rovide in stan t fulfillm ent of jo u rn a l article requests by telefax from a c e n tra l location. In n o v a to rs a re perceived as insightful a n d ingenious because in th e ir search outside th e b o unds o f th e p ro b lem d e finition, they fin d u n iq u e a pproaches. As Isaksen no ted , in nova­ tors m ake co-w orkers a n d supervisors u n c o m fo rta ­ ble because th e ir ideas m ay seem to o fa rfe tch e d or too unfeasible. Ju ro w n o ted t h a t m ost in d ividuals o p e rate in th e m id d le ra n g e using som e of each style w ith a slight in c lin a tio n to w a r d s o ne o v e r th e o th e r. T hese “m id d le ” people a re th e ones w ho keep co m m u n i­ c atio n open b e tw e e n th e in n o v ato rs a n d a d ap to rs a n d w ho a ct as in te rm ed iarie s o r in te rp rete rs, h e lp ­ ing th e innovators a n d a d ap to rs a ccep t a p a rtic u la r idea. W h en asked fo r a show of h a n d s for a d ap to rs, innovators, a n d those w h o fa ll in th e m id d le , th e vast m ajo rity of th e a u dience fell in th e m id d le as co m m u n icato rs a n d a rb itra to rs. U n d e rstan d in g in d iv id u a l styles c an give some insight in to th e dynam ics of in teractio n s w ith o th ­ ers in problem -solving situations. U n d e rstan d in g o th e r styles a n d ho w th ey o p e rate provides a n a p ­ p re c ia tio n a n d ab ility to use d iffere n t approaches constructively. M oving from this end of th e sp e c tru m , Ju ro w connected in d iv id u a l style to fo u r problem -solving approaches: d irec t, su p p le m e n tary , m odification a n d ta n g e n tia l. A daptors ten d to use th e d irec t or su p p le m e n ta ry a p p ro a c h e s in p roblem -solving. T h ey a re likely to sim ply su b stitu te o ne solution for a n o th e r sim ilar one. I n solving a security p roblem in a lib ra ry , th e a d a p to r w o uld replace th e m o n ito r checking books a t an exit w ith a n electronic system . T his is a d ire c t sub stitu tio n fo r th e previous solu­ tion. M oving to w a rd th e c en ter o f th e co n tin u u m b u t still n e a r th e a d a p to r side, a su p p le m e n tary a p ­ p ro a c h w o uld m odify th e space so t h a t o th er a ctivi­ ties c o uld tak e place w hile still alle v ia tin g th e secu­ rity p roblem . F o r exam ple, a c o m bined checkout/ exit desk. M o derate in n o v ato rs “m odify” th e situ atio n in th e ir problem -solving a p p ro ac h . I n th e above ex­ a m ple, th e m o d e ra te in n o v a to r w o u ld e lim inate th e p roblem exit a n d re ro u te tra ffic to a n exit easier to m anage. T h e extrem e in n o v a to r w o u ld use the ta n g e n tia l a p p ro a c h , question th e original p ro b ­ lem d e finition, a n d propose t h a t security is only a pro b lem w h e n p eople feel like th ey h a v e to sm ug­ gle th ings out. I f th e lib ra ry p e rm itte d u n lim ited checkout for u n lim ite d periods, security w o u ld n ot b e a p roblem . Ju ro w th e n p re sen te d four tec h n iq u es a lib ra ria n could use t h a t w o u ld result in crea tiv e solutions given th e p roblem a n d th e ty p e of p e ople involved. B rainstorm ing is a good tec h n iq u e to use if a p e r­ son needs a s u p p le m e n ta ry so lu tio n o r needs to m odify th e pro b lem . W ith b ra in sto rm in g a person goes fo r cro ss-fe rtiliz a tio n a n d q u a n tity , p ig g y ­ back in g on o th e r people’s ideas to c re a te new ideas. F u rth e r d o w n th e inn o v ativ e e nd of th e spec­ tru m is a te c h n iq u e c alled v isu a l c o n n e c tio n in w h ich a person m oves o u t of th e context of the p ro b lem , allo w in g a m y ria d of u n re la te d thoughts, experiences, a n d observations to b rin g fresh insight to a p roblem . T his tec h n iq u e w a s illu stra te d to the audience by p re sen tin g four slides a n d in stru ctin g th e a u dience to relax a n d im agine b e in g in th e p ic­ tu re b u t also n o tin g h o w th ey feel looking a t the p ictu re. A fter w ritin g d o w n im pressions th e a u d i­ e nce w as asked to m a k e a c o n n e c tio n w ith th e p roblem sta te m en t. V isual c o n nection is one tec h ­ n iq u e th a t c an b e d o n e alone; no g ro u p in te rac tio n is needed. T h e idea is to c lear th e m in d , concen­ tr a te on som ething u n re la te d a n d see w h a t new tho u g h ts h ave b een stim u la te d re g ard in g th e origi­ n a l problem . In n o v a to rs o ften do th is n a tu ra lly . T h ey b re a k th e bou n d s of th e p ro b lem d e finition to b rin g od d angles of th o u g h t n o t im m ediately obvi­ ously re le v an t to th e pro b lem a t hand. T h e th ird c reative te c h n iq u e p resented is called n o vel scenarios. T his te c h n iq u e sta rts by ta k in g a w o rd o u t of th e p roblem sta te m e n t a n d stringing to g eth e r w o rd associations. In th e p roblem sta te ­ m e n t, “H ow to e n h an c e th e role of a cadem ic li­ b ra ria n s ,” w o rd associations are m a d e beginning w ith th e w o rd “role” a n d e n d in g by co n n ectin g the w o rd s b ack to th e p ro b lem sta te m e n t. No m a tte r h o w re m o te , b rin g in g a n e w p e rsp ec tiv e to th e 282 / C &R L News Susan J urow p ro b le m is th e p u rp o se . A novel sc e n ario , like vis­ u a l con n ec tio n , is a n excursion te c h n iq u e t h a t a l­ low s n e w p erspectives to e n te r th e solution. A t th e a d a p tiv e e n d of th e sp e c tru m , a useful te c h n iq u e is c alled b ra in w ritin g , w h ic h uses th e best e lem ents o f b ra in s to rm in g b u t is m o re effec­ tiv e for th e in tro v e rte d m e m b e rs of a g roup w h o of­ te n h a v e tro u b le g e ttin g a w o rd in edgew ise. I n this te c h n iq u e a p ro b le m is sta te d a n d e ac h m e m b e r of th e g ro u p w rite s d o w n th re e solutions. T hese solu­ tio n s a re exchanged a m o n g m e m b e rs of th e sam e g ro u p w h o p ig g y -b a c k o n th e m c r e a ti n g th r e e m o re solutions. E a c h so lution c rea te s n e w associa­ tions a n d th u s n e w ideas. T h o u g h th is te c h n iq u e is n o t as e nerg y -in te n siv e as b ra in s to rm in g , th e level of p ro d u c tio n is fa irly im pressive. I t results in a m y ria d o f fresh ideas from w h ic h to choose. T hese fo u r tec h n iq u es, o ne from th e a d ap tiv e (b ra in w ritin g ), tw o from th e in n o v ativ e (novel sce­ narios a n d visual connection) a n d o ne from th e m id d le (b ra in sto rm in g ), c a n b e used in d iv id u a lly to h e lp j a r a p e rso n o u t of ro u tin e th in k in g p a t ­ terns. T h ey c a n also be u sed in a g ro u p w h e re they a re even m o re effective. T h e en erg y a n d th e d iv er­ sity of view p o in ts increase th e g ro u p ’s p o te n tia l for q u a n tity a n d v a rie ty of ideas. J u ro w m e n tio n e d t h a t th e O ffice of M a n a g e m e n t Services a t ARL is ju st s ta rtin g to d e velop p ro g ram s to t r a i n lib ra ria n s based on these tec h n iq u es. C o n c lu d in g h e r w o rk sh o p , Ju ro w re m in d e d th e p a rtic ip a n ts to m ak e th e b est use of w h a t th ey h a v e le a rn e d a b o u t c re a tiv ity tec hniques: th e n eed to k now w h o you a re ; th e n e ed to u n d e rs ta n d p e r­ sonal stre n g th s a n d w eaknesses; th e n e ed to u n d e r­ sta n d a n d use t h e tec h n iq u es t h a t a re a v a ila b le for crea tiv e p roblem -solving; a n d th e n eed to realize th e k in d of e n d p ro d u c t desired. J u ro w re tu rn e d to E kvall’s te n factors fo r c re a t­ in g a n e n v iro n m e n t co n d u civ e to c re a tiv ity , em ­ p h a sizin g t h a t a relax ed a tm o sp h e re w h e re p la y ­ fu ln e s s a n d h u m o r a re t h e n o rm is o n e o f th e v a ria b le s t h a t c o n trib u tes to a c rea tiv e o rg a n iz a ­ tio n . She also re m in d e d th e a u d ie n ce t h a t th e w a y a m a n a g e r o r supervisor behaves a n d th e m essages he o r she gives o u t a b o u t these te n fa cto rs plays a role in th e w a y sta ff m e m b e rs feel a b o u t a n o rg a n iz a ­ tio n a n d th e w a y th e y w ill o p e rate. T h e m essage le ft w ith th e a u d ie n c e b y b o th Isaksen a n d J u ro w is to tak e risks a n d tr y n e w ideas. D o n o t b ack a w a y fro m n e w , e x citing ap p ro ach es to p roblem -solving b ecause th e ap p ro ac h es a re too n e w , too d iffe re n t o r too u n u su a l. F in a lly , p a rtic i­ p a n ts w e re u rg e d to use these ap p ro ac h es to c re a ­ tive p ro b lem -so lv in g in th e ir d a ily w ork. Bibliography A dam s, Ja m es L . C o n c ep tu a l B lo c kb u stin g , 2 nd ed. (N ew York: W .W . N o rto n , 1979). A m a b ile , T h ere sa M . T h e Social P sychology o f C re a tiv ity (N ew York: S prin g er-V erlag , 1983). C a m p b e ll, D a v id P . T ake th e R o a d to C re a tiv ity a n d G e t O f f T o u r D e a d E n d (Niles, 111.: Argus C o m m u n ic atio n s, 1977). de B ono, E d w a rd . L a te ra l T h in k in g f o r M a n ­ a g e m e n t (N ew York: M c G ra w -H ill, 1972). D ru c k e r, P e te r F . I n n o v a tio n a n d E n tr e p r e ­ n e urship (N ew York: H a rp e r a n d R ow , 1985). E k v all, G ., a n d A ndersson, Y. “W o rk in g C li­ m a te a n d C re a tiv ity : A S tu d y of a n I n n o v a tiv e N e w sp ap e r O ffice .” Journal o f C re a tiv e B eh a vio r 20 (1986): 215-225. G ryskiew icz, S t a n le y s . “T a r g e te d I n n o v a tio n .” Issues Lr O bservations, N o v e m b er 1983 (G reens­ b o ro , N .C .: C e n te r fo r C re a tiv e L ea d ersh ip ). Isaksen, Scott G ., ed. F rontiers in C re a tiv ity R e ­ search: B e y o n d th e Basics (Buffalo: B early L im ­ ite d , 1987). M iller, W illia m C . T h e C re a tiv e E d g e (R ead­ ing, M ass.: A ddison-W esley, 1987). O sb o rn , Alex F . A p p lie d Im a g in a tio n , 3 rd rev. ed. (N ew York: C h a rle s S c rib n er’s Sons, 1979). F a m e s , Sidney J. T h e M agic o f T o u r M in d (Buf­ falo: C re a tiv e E d u c a tio n F o u n d a tio n , 1981). R h o d e s, M . “A n A nalysis o f C r e a tiv ity ,” P hi D e lta K a p p a n 42 (1961): 305-310. T o rra n c e , E . P a u l. T h e Search f o r Satori a n d C r e a tiv ity (B u ffa lo , N .Y .: C r e a t i v e E d u c a ti o n F o u n d a tio n , 1979). V on O ech, R oger. A W h a c k on th e Side o f th e H e a d (N ew York: W a rn e r Books, 1983). ■ ■