Innovation And Creativity.
Instructions: Q8 develop a document which contain mentioned points.
Solution.
Innovation And Creativity.
Question One.
Many organization across the globe find it hard to ignore innovation and creativity as companies focus on providing the latest and efficient solutions to its industrial problems. Scott Jewett, CEO of Element-Y suggests that innovation encompasses a continuous evolution (Kelley, 2010). Therefore, the procedure to encourage innovation and creativity is far much integrated than just coming up with innovative infrastructure. As a team leader, it is important to consider the right combination of team members, focus, and processes within the group. First, on the verge to promote innovation and creativity any organization has to hire individuals who are focused on values and curiosity over experience. Scholars suggest that people will always want to know more, hence, as they will strive to look for a solution within faced by the team. It is important to note that a leader should select a team of individuals who are ready to probe into deeper issues related to the team’s goals, vision, values, and culture. Secondly, as a team leader, it is important to promote challenge and encourage change within the team. To foster change, it is evident that a leader must involve the team members to challenge the actions and decisions taken by a group to improve the goals of the team. Additionally, a leader must focus on encouraging challenges coupled with a better solution or idea. As a team leader, it is important to provide an environment where members can think critically about the challenges within the organization and foster individual ideas and proposals. Lastly, as a team leader, one must encourage cross-learning. Cross-learning creates diversity within the group hence creativity is achieved (Whetten & Cameron, 2011). A leader should not only use policies to encourage cross-learning but also demonstrate through examples by providing team members with resources which encourage cross-learning.
Question Two.
In as much a team may be willing to promote innovation within their premises given promoting their goals and visions, there are various approaches that if embraced, act as barriers towards achieving such innovation. One of the major barriers to innovation among team members is the use of punishment against members of a team for their failures in completing. Punishment pushes the team member far from the organization and taints their perception regarding their value to the team (Crevani, Palm, & Schilling, 2011). Also, organizations that develop an accusation mindset among its employees reduces the chances of such team members taking risks, thus making it almost impossible for them to come up with, or promote innovative ideas for fear of reproach. On the other hand, as members of a team consider retention in the team, they are likely to impede any efforts towards innovation as employees are afraid of losing their positions or jobs. Thus, they avoid risk-taking initiatives due to fear of failure (Crevani, Palm, & Schilling, 2011).
Nevertheless, these barriers can be overcome by establishing a culture that supports innovation within the group (Whelan, Parise, de Valk, & Aalbers, 2011). This will create the right environment for innovation as all the members are motivated towards innovating. Another measure involves engaging the team members in decision-making approaches and the general innovation initiatives within the team is by establishing a proper relationship with the management and understanding that the management is in support of their innovation efforts, team members are more likely to embrace innovation. Lastly, members can be encouraged and empowered to innovate by training them effectively and boosting their skills in various areas, which would allow them to apply the gained skills to positively transform the team (Whelan, Parise, de Valk, & Aalbers, 2011).
Question Three.
Interpersonal skills ace be referred to as the skills that individuals possess when they interact and communicate with a team or individuals. These interpersonal skills can pose some challenges in a group setting. To begin with, non-verbal communication as a form of interpersonal skills is disadvantageous to team members since communication will be tagged on those individuals who are conversant with the gestures and sign languages that other team members use within a group. On the hand, negotiation as a style of interpersonal skills are at times unfair and demeaned as team members can view a group leader as biased on a specific objective that requires negotiation. Also, interpersonal styles are time-consuming(cite). Therefore, it will consume a lot of time to create an interpersonal relationship within the group to complete a given task. Additionally, interpersonal styles are limited to geographical location. Such challenges can be resolved through the collective involvement of the group through interactive discussions and use a common language that each team member comprehends. Also, as a technological advancement has initiated minimalism within interpersonal communication through emails and text messages that can be employed in efficient communication within a team.
Question Four
As a team leader, the best ways to gain trust and confidence is by treating team members with respect, empathy, and integrity, adjusting the interpersonal styles to meet the team’s cultural environment. On the other hand, a leader can gain confidence from his/her team members through competent performance and be ensuring they comply with the policies and procedures. As a team leader, it is required of demonstrating utmost integrity through having strong values and principles, being humble as well as appreciating feedback from team members. Also one can build confidence among the team members through following through actions and promises. Respect is one of the components in building confidence and trust among team members. As a team leader is important to exhibit respect through guarding the dignity and self-esteem of members within a group, showing empathy, being flexible and responsive, and creating awareness of prejudice and harassment. To customers, a team leader can create trust through efficient service delivery and be offering support to customers in case of any changes on the product. To suppliers, confidence and trust are cultivated through few prejudices and harassment as well as treating them politely and being a good listener. Lastly, a good team leader should ensure that the team members adhere to the policies and procedures of the team through leading by an example in modeling the required moral codes, taking a coaching role in accomplishing the tasks within the team, and creating a conducive environment that team members cannot experience the need to violate policies and procedures
Question Five.
In this scenario Jane, a receptionist is faced with personal issues that affect the productivity of the firm. Notably, as a manager, one is aware that performance is a function of motivation and ability (Whetten & Cameron, 2011).
Performance = Motivation X Ability
To eliminate poor performance, case in point, Jane’s scenario, the foremost step in conducting a thorough diagnosis through personal talks and get to understand the main root of Jane’s latest behavior. Secondly, since it is a clinic, it is important that you offer Jane with the need support that might have triggered his brunt nature. Thirdly, it is important to allocate the required resources that Jane needs in his workplace so that you ensure she has no deficit in resources that makes her brunt. If the above steps are not yielding any results, it is advisable to involve the whole team in performance review meetings, inclusive of Jane. Performance review meeting focuses on the overall performance of the firm. Though performance review meetings are grounds for warnings, it is important the meetings are communicated earlier, like 48 hours earlier. This might probe Jane to change his brunt nature and might eliminate the poor performance. Another step after performance review meetings involves issue sanctions and decisions that will initiate an agreement of meeting the performance standards of the firm. If Jane cannot comply to such, as a manager you dismiss her or reassign the tasks.
Question Six.
As a nurse working in a multidisciplinary facility, the revolutionary idea that I have put forth so that my colleagues can come together and share important ideas is suggesting to the CEO of the facility to provide interactive sessions during lunch break where all staff can share a table for lunch and interact. This method is efficient as it eliminates discrepancies in class and job levels. It will allow the CEO to interact with the lowest job level workers within the facility which can create interpersonal relationships within the facility that can foster change. These sessions will be designed in such a way that each and every employee within the facility gets to know one another and share their job experiences at the facility. Such a move will enable the facility to realize the loopholes within the facility. This information will work on secrecy levels, any complaint or compliment will be reported to the CEO, and the CEO will not contact the concerned team but rather work on resolving the issue urgently so that the concerned party realizes the change without tabling or presenting the meeting through the formal meetings in the facility.
Question Seven
7. (a)
As a team leader in the health facility, the information that will be gathered about the three staff members in my innovation team includes the positions they hold within the premises. Preferably I will choose the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Nursing Officer, and a Chief Financial Officer. Their professional qualities are important, in that they have the most important role in fostering innovation within their work environment. Also, as a team leader, I will look for personal values and one’s ability to accept change. The reasons why I look for values and adaptability for change is for diversity requirements. Innovation can only be implemented through the diversity of an individual to accept opinions and views of other members.
7 (b)
An additional trait that I will focus is the authority and financial responsibilities. This information is crucial as the project will require some funding so that the given innovation idea can be implemented and managed. For funds to be allocated there must be a higher authorizing agent such as the CEO and the CFO. Additionally, projects have to be implemented when there is a leader to authorize a given project. Therefore, the CNO will play a major role implementing a project.
Question Eight.
- Accountability: Accountability refers to taking the ultimate responsibility for what an individual does or not. Each team member must be answerable for their actions and decisions in the implementation of the project.
- Alertness and Awareness: Each team member must quick and understand any action he or she takes and should take a particular interest in knowing what is going on within the team.
- Consideration: Each team member must be considerate of any opinion postulated by another team member and be kind to team members.
- Integrity: each team member is expected to act honestly and morally.
- Cooperation: As a team, it is important that each segment assigned to the task must co-operate with other groups with the aim of achieving the set objective.
- Development and Creativity: each team member must be ready to learn new ideas from other member and contribute to these ideas in a creative manner.
- Sensitivity and Respect: each team member must understand what other people need and help them where possible. Respect Code encompasses accepting the importance of one’s rights or customs and not engaging in any activity that will show disrespect.
Question Nine.
When sharing tasks and activities within a team, team leaders must communicate relevant information such as policies and procedures within the project, explain the standard code of conduct fully during the project, outline the patient demographics and performance data.
After communicating these ideas tasks will be assigned to different teams, teams must be informed of the of the importance of these tasks to the general objective of the project. Therefore, each team member will have to put in efforts to achieve the sub-objective for the good of the main objective of the project.
Lastly, to allocate these tasks, it is important for the team leader to reach an agreement with the team members in how an individual will be allocated to a different group. Therefore, it is vital that each member is assessed on his or her abilities in engaging in any sub- objective implementation of the project. Here, the best tool to reach an agreement within the group is by asking the members in which tasks they are best suited. After the suggestions from the team members, the manager should be able to assess each team member by the professionalism and his suggestions to a given task, hence an agreement to undertake a specific task.
Question Ten.
During the project, there are several ways in rewarding such as monetary bonuses, appreciation, and gratitude. Financial incentives among other forms of reward are among the major motivators for employees as they demonstrate the level to which their input is appreciated in the organization (Lindegaard, 2010). As such, to encourage the team members to innovate, it is important to acknowledge their ideas and efforts and to reward them, accordingly. Apart from just giving out cash bonuses, it is important to motivate the team members through showing appreciation and praising them during the project.
After the completion of the project, monetary incentives are relevant, but they will lead to making the member focus on money instead of improving his abilities and being innovative. Therefore, it is recommended that after the project. The best worker should be celebrated in activities such as giving him/her a trophy or a certificate of recognition which will act as a symbol to recognizes his or her hard work in the organization.
Question Eleven
After successful innovation, teams
tend to employs ways on celebrating on promoting the achieved innovation. One
way in which a team can promote and celebrate successful innovation is by going
out for dinner and drinks with the team members; this method helps in bonding
the team and can foster a good relationship on undertaking an upcoming project.
Also, a team leader can offer meaningful rewards that are focused on individual
references and also keep on thanking the members for work well done.
Additionally, team leaders must acknowledge the success of the project in the
meeting of the next project by offering congratulations the most hardworking
members of the team as will help the team members to feel they are part of a team
that recognizes them (Bak, Vogt, George, & Greentree, 2013).
References
Aasen, T., Amundsen, O., Gressgård, L., & Hansen, K. (2012). In search of best practices for employee driven innovation: Experiences from Norwegian work life. In K. Møller (Ed.), Employee-driven innovation. A new approach to innovation. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Bak, C. A., Vogt, L. H., George, W. R., & Greentree, I. R. (2013). Management by team. Logistics Information Management.
Crevani, L., Palm, K., & Schilling, A. (2011). Innovation management in service firms: a research agenda. Service Business, 5(2), 177-193.
Kelley, B. (2010). Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire. Chichester: Wiley.
Lindegaard, S. (2010). The Open Innovation Revolution: Essentials, Roadblocks, and Leadership Skills. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Whelan, E., Parise, S., de Valk, J., & Aalbers, R. (2011). Creating employee networks that deliver innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 53(1), 37-44.
Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River,, New Jersey, United States of America: Pearson Education Inc.
Wilkinson, A., & Dundon, T. (2010). Direct employee participation . In A. Wilkinson (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Participation in Organizations. New York: Oxford University Press.
