Fear and Failure: A Sure Path to Creativity and Innovation · 2013. 10. 23. · • Failure, fear,...

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Fear and Failure: A Sure Path to Creativity and

Innovation

Dr. Jennifer Walinga Royal Roads University

Roads to Research

Optimal Performance Despite Adversity

Optimal Performance Despite Adversity

Optimal Performance Despite Adversity

Optimal Performance Despite Adversity

Optimal Performance Despite Adversity

Creative Thinking: How many ways can you think of to use one brick?

What if you don’t have a brick?

Creative Insight…

By moving only three sticks, can you change the pattern on the right to look like the pattern on the left?

By moving only three sticks, can you change the pattern on the right to look like the pattern on the left?

Amy Purdy: Living Beyond Limits

Barriers as Pathways to Creative Solutions

You

Barrier

Values and

Goals

Human Barriers to Problem Solving and Decision Making Ability

Penetrating barriers to gain a new view of the problem...

“Between stimulus and response there is a

space”

Victor Frankl

Man’s Search for Meaning

Problem Solving, Creativity and Insight

• Problem solving (Guilford, 1950) • Remote association (Mednick, 1959)

• Attentional breadth (Mendelsohn, 1976) • Innovation and adaptation (Kirton, 1980)

• Problem framing (Getzels, 1975) • Conceptual combination (Mumford & Baughman,1997)

• Divergent thinking (Osborn, 1953) • Problem finding (Volkema, 1995)

• Problem construction (Maier, 1930) • Solution readiness (Chronicle, et al, 2002)

• Impasse (Ohlsson, 2004)

Brainstorming Solutions

Convergence

Divergence

Divergence

Divergence

Finding the Problem and Then

Brainstorming the Solutions

Divergence Divergence

Divergence

Convergence

Peak Performance

• Flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1992)

• Optimism (Seligman, 1991)

• Locus of Control (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987)

• Self Efficacy (Bandura, 1977)

• Creativity (Getzels, 1972; Torrance, 1987; Parnes & Noller, 1972)

Vikes Soccer Walinga, J. (2008). Change Readiness: The Roles of Appraisal, Focus, and Perceived Control. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 44(3), p. 315- 347. * Sage Publications most read article 2010 * Western Academy of Management Best Doctoral Paper Award 2007

• Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987-2005)

• Thriving (Spreitzer, 2005; Luthans, 2007) • Resilience (Maddi & Kobasa) • A stressor or problem triggers the limbic and hypothalamus

centre of the brain • Failure, fear, perceived threat, and worry results in a

deactivation of the frontal motor cortex of the brain • Heightened Threat Vigilance • Results in Threat Focus vs Value or Goal Focus • De-activation of power and confidence • Can’t have both sides switched on at same time

Problem Solving Under Stress…

Interpretation - Challenge or Threat?

• Eustress (Selye, 1990)

• Anxiety direction

(Jones & Swain, 1995; Selye, 1956)

• Cognitive / interpretive bias

(Eysenck, 1992; Mathews, 1993)

• Cue utilization

(Easterbrook, 1959)

ReFraming Workplace Injury WCB grant

Walinga, J. (2008). Reframing Workplace Injury (Oakland, CA), Western Academy of Management Conference Proceedings

Transforming Stress in the Workplace Walinga, J., & Rowe, W. (2013). Transforming stress in complex work environments: Exploring the capabilities of middle managers in the public sector. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 6(1), 66-88.

Know Fear

Barriers as Pathways to Values

You

Barrier

Values and

Goals

Fear is a beacon that reveals your core

values ~ Stephen Hayes (2007)

Readiness

“The seeds of great discoveries are constantly floating around us, but they only take root in minds

well-prepared to receive them.”

The American physicist Joseph Henry

Readiness

• Theory of Change (Lewin, 1957)

• Transtheoretical Model

(Prochaska et al, 1997) • Processing Efficiency (Eysenck & Calvo, 1992) • Anxiety Direction (Jones & Swain, 1992)

• Self efficacy (Bandura, 1977) • Perceived behavioural control (Ajzen, 1998; Karasek, 1979) • Perceived need for change and

active participation in the change process (Cunningham et al, 2002)

• Decisional latitude and balance (Hackman & Oldham, 1975)

Readiness to Seek Alternatives

Readiness to See Alternatives

Root and Route Finding…

Failure

“Stuckedness”

Garet Hill

CREATIVITY UNDER CONSTRAINT...

Kidney Chains 3M Post-it Notes H1N1 Disney Queues QC Rock Video

Spence Silver

Gareth Hill

Garet Hill

CREATIVITY UNDER CONSTRAINT...

Kidney Chains 3M Post-it Notes H1N1 Disney Queues QC Rock Video

Spence Silver

Failure means…

Accepting the barrier as reality

Letting go

Making a cognitive shift

Opening to new ideas

Seeking alternatives

Accepting limitations

Relaxing constraints

"in the fields of observation, chance only favours

the mind which is prepared..."

Louise Pasteur

Training Insight

Walinga, J., Cunningham, J.B., & MacGregor, J. (2010). Improving Performance in Solving Insight Problems: The Roles of Assumptions, Barriers and Goals. Journal of Creative Behavior, 45(1) 47-58.

Arrange the 12 coins so that each side of the hexagon has 4.

Arrange the 12 coins so that each side of the hexagon has 4.

Draw 4 straight lines that pass through all of the 9 dots without taking your pencil off the page or reversing over a line

Draw 4 straight lines that pass through all of the 9 dots without taking your pencil off the page or reversing over a line

Focus and Framing

“A new more penetrating view of the problem” Wertheimer, 1959

Problem Composition

• Internal locus of control (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987)

• Problem framing (Kahneman & Tversky, 1981)

• Problem finding (Basadur, 2000)

• Cognitive restructuring (Ohlsson, 1992)

• Solution readiness (Ormerod, Chronicle, & MacGregor, 2003)

• Goal setting (Locke & Latham, 1994)

Barriers as Pathways

Walinga, J. (2011). From Walls to Windows: Using Barriers as Keys to Unlock Insightful Solutions. Journal of Creative Behavior, 44(3), p. 1-25.

Expanding the Focus

You

Barrier

Values and

Goals

Inquiry and Dialogue

• Lewin “Unfreezing, Refreezing”

• Argyris “Double Loop Learning”

• Schein “Process Consulting”

• Dewey “Experiential Learning”

• Mezirow “Transformative Learning”

• Kegan “Questioning Assumptions”

Transformative Learning: The Power of Narrative

Desire, Deterrent, Danger, Dilemma, Decision, Disaster, Denouement

Integrated Focus: How do I resolve the challenges the

barrier poses to my goal? (addresses barrier and goal)

Barrier focus: How do I resolve the

barrier? (ignores goal)

Goal Focus: How do I achieve my

goal? (ignores barrier)

Individual Goal Barrier

The Integrated Focus Model and Process

• Ministry of Jobs, Tourism & Skills Training • BC Assessment • Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal

Communities • Islands Trust BC • Greater Toronto Area Colleges • Unit 4 Business Solutions • City of Vancouver • Hartley Insurance • Maximus Health • Northern Health • BA Commerce Team Case Competition, Royal Roads

University • Centre for Applied Leadership and Management

Royal Roads University • Centre for Sport Exercise and Education, Camosun

College • Canadian Evaluation Society • City of Port Coquitlam • BC Public Service • Women of Whistler • Health Work and Wellness Association • HR Institute of Alberta • BC HR Management Association

• National Managers’ Network • HBC – The Bay • Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Research • British Columbia Institute of Technology • Northern Alberta Institute of Technology • Northern Lights College • Pensions BC • Department of National Defense • Military Family Resource Centre • Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson’s Association • University of Victoria, Executive MBA Program • University of Victoria: Soccer and Rowing Programs • Canadian Back Institute • Parks Canada • Victoria School District • Archipelago Marine Research Group • Royal Roads University • Velox Rugby Football Club • St. Michaels University School • University of PEI Leadership Development Program • University of PEI Senior Management Team • Manulife

What is the problem?

(articulating interpretive frame)

Are current solutions sustainable?

(accepting failure of threat frame becoming ready to seek alternatives)

What is the fear?

(revealing protected values)

What is important?

(expanding the problem frame)

(allowing systemic and sustainable solutions to emerge)

What is the solution?

Thank you!

Jennifer.walinga@royalroads.ca www.integratedfocus.ca