Creativity and Teamwork

Question 1

How do teams emerge?

Answer 1

Adoption of work method

Collaborative relationships

Question 2

What are the immediate benefits of teamwork?

Answer 2

Wider appreciation of ‘learning’
Cognitive flexibility
Increased perceived self-confidence

Question 3

What are the determinants of high-performing teams?

Answer 3

1. Context
2. Composition
3. Competencies
4. Change

Question 4

What is meant by context for a team?

Answer 4

Organisational environment

Question 5

What are some important considerations for the context of teamwork?

Answer 5

1. Is effective teamwork critical to accomplishing common goals?
2. Who are the supporters of the team?

Question 6

How may a team achieve effective context management?

Answer 6

• Measurable goals
• Team understanding
• Rewards systems
• Teamwork culture

Question 7

How may the composition of the team effect its success?

Answer 7

• Having the right people
• Member motivation
• Team size

Question 8

How is team size managed to improve effectiveness?

Answer 8

• Adequate selection practice
• Personal development
• Cutting loose individuals who lack skills or motivation
• Managing according the skills and motivation levels
• Establishing the right size

Question 9

High-performing teams have specific competencies enabling them to…..?

Answer 9

• Articulate goals and metrics
• Articulate the mean to achieve goals
• Make effective decisions
• Effectively communicate
• Build trust and commitment
• Resolve disagreements
• Encourage risk-taking and innovation

Question 10

How do high-performing teams develop skills to change?

Answer 10

Establishing team-building processes

Establishing the ‘change’ philosophy’

Question 11

Why must teams adapt and change to new conditions?

Answer 11

Factors related to team context, composition and companies my change

Question 12

What are some barriers to team creativity?

Answer 12

• Process losses (Diehl & Stroebe, 1987)
• Conversational bottlenecks (Nijstad et al, 2003)
• Laziness (Mullen et L, 1991)
• Fear of rejection (Camacho & Paulus, 1995)

Question 13

How can the barriers to team creativity be lifted?

Answer 13

• Adoption of formal rules to guide the group and to avoid problematic behaviour

Question 14

What are the several set of rules that exist (according to the literature) relating to lifting creativity barriers?

Answer 14

• Go for quantity
• Withhold criticism
• Welcome wild ideas
• Combine and improve ideas

Question 15

What are the 5 key behaviours that underpin creativity within norms?

Answer 15

• Participation
• Independence
• Elaboration
• Communication
• Exploration

Question 16

What is included in participation? What norms can boost participation?

Answer 16

• Is the key to the creative process but may be effected by social loafing
• “the funnel process” - Straw 1990
• Can be boosted:
• Norm for accountability
• Norm for equity

Question 17

How may a norm for independence be fostered that counters the pressure to conform?

Answer 17

• Individualistic norms

Question 18

What is elaboration?

Answer 18

• Process of systematic evaluation

- The norm for elaboration is key to promoting this key behaviour

Question 19

In addition to full participation, independent perspectives and elaboration, ________ norms also help team creativity.

Answer 19

Communication

Question 20

How can exploration improve group success?

Answer 20

• Implement innovation
• Rather difficult process among teams
• Risk taking can overcome issues with exploration