Effects on Creative Energies

Culture Counts

Creative energies are released and ordered by Willpower-RG1, Involvement-RG2, Enthusiasm-RG3, & Committing Your Self-RG4, as shown in the Root Structural Hierarchy. These energies can and should be activated and handled, within employment, in more or less the same way as in relation to a personally owned challenge.

Organizations can be designed to maximize creativity. Most large organizations are not, because the management culture acts as an inhibitor. Investigation of Stages in the strengthening of a management culture suggests that organizations must reach the Imaginist Stage-6 before creativity can be fully and properly recognized and valued. As there are only 7 Stages, reaching Stage-6 demands strong leadership with a focus on the management culture over a prolonged period.

In examining the way that challenges are altered within organizations, it was proposed that necessity in the context of obligations contributes to recognizing the challenge. Even so, necessity is the mother of invention, and fulfilling obligations requires as much, perhaps more, willpower-G1.

Using Willpower (RG1)

Components of the use of willpower are usually handled rather differently within organizations because management's focus is heavily skewed to the actualization zone (RG1-RG3) within endeavour.

Targets for change-RG1³, focused inquiry-RG1², and taking action-RG1³ are all vital for achievement, and these THEE-names remain appropriate. Their optimal operation in the face of stress depends, however, on creative components at higher Levels: RG4-RG7. The names of these higher components require alteration, as explained below and shown in the diagram, to suit the realities of organizational life.

Be Willing-RG1⁷

Being fully willing-G1⁷ is only found in the exceptional employee. Being willing to be responsible, to fulfil obligations, to act as an agent of the organization, that is what can be reasonably expected from you and most employees. This applies to special challenging assignments as well.

Set Purposes & Uphold Values-RG1⁶

Being ever purposeful (i.e. in the assignment) is a counsel of perfection within an organization, given the distractions of conflicting managerial demands plus practical and political pressures. It is possible, however, to be explicit and unequivocal about goals relevant to any challenge. At the same time, it is essential to uphold relevant organizational values.

Intensify/Handle Communications-RG1⁵

To champion a project, you must communicate clearly and often about it, and listen to others. But you also have to know when to keep your incisive accurate observations to yourself. If the culture encourages employees to keep their thoughts private, then your creative potential is further weakened. So the method of intensification in organizations involves more control, or at least handling.

Use Inner Experiences-RG1⁴

You must use inner experiences i.e. your self, to dream up ideas, to make judgements and to sense what is in the air. But intensification usually suffers constraints. Also, some awareness may be difficult to handle. If the emotional culture is immature (e.g. bosses explode in rage, failure attracts punishment, humiliation is dished out as humour), then special care is required.

Other Creative Processes (RG2-RG4)

Deepening Conviction-RG2

Conviction will vary depending on both the employee and the assignment. Some staff are naturally dedicated-G2⁶, but it is hard to be dedicated if you might be dismissed with little notice. Staff who manifest involvement-G2⁵, develop conceptions-G2⁴, and show ownership-G2³ become highly valued. However, management's efforts to foster and work with such states are commonly counterproductive.

Conclusions-G2², often in the form of recommendations, and iteration-G2¹ both lie within the actualization zone. So they are more straightforward.

Focusing Enthusiasm-RG3

This creative Grouping is most directly relevant to action. Champions-G6 are properly expected to be enthusiastic for their cause. But progress on your challenge depends on the morale of others, because enthusiastic and supportive colleagues are necessary.

It seems that many managers despair of staff even performing their functions, as required in engagement-G3¹. In a desperate attempt to stimulate staff to produce desired results, managers commonly do exactly the wrong thing:
e.g. it does not do much for morale to ignore constructive but inconvenient recommendations.

Read more about teams, morale and creativity.

Channeling Commitment-G4

An expectation of commitment exists in relation to achievement for an organization, but that relates primarily to acceptance of policies and strategies. Commitment relevant to creatively handing a challenge is something different: 

• Surrender-G4⁴. This is found in organizations, especially in leaders, but is poorly recognized. It often ends in tears as the impersonality of the organization (or its market) re-imposes itself.
• Passion-G4³. This is a well-recognized contribution to leadership and performance generally.
• Play-G4². This is becoming more acceptable in association with efforts to foster creativity and imaginist values.
• Learning-G4¹. In relation to challenges, this is mostly a private matter. However, employees also learn on behalf of the organization and in teams.

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Reminder: The details of organizing and managing work activities are explored in a range of THEE Frameworks that emerge from the various Primary Hierarchies, especially deciding and achieving. By contrast, the focus here is purely on the creative element.

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Now:

• Consider team creativity.

Originally posted:17-Feb-2012