Creative thinking and innovative leadership are competencies which are widely recognized as key success drivers for organizations and individuals. Interestingly, they are competencies which, given the right nurturing environment, can be developed and harnessed by anyone in any organization.
In this course we examine the conditions necessary to build such an environment. Our aim is to provide participants with an overview of creativity, and to examine leadership theories and approaches that foster innovation, emphasizing situational leadership. The course also addresses the role of the leader as delegator and change agent.
Course Methodology
The course features the use of group activities, psychometrics and team exercises. Case studies followed by group debriefs are also used.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
Assess their potential for creativity and innovation
Apply creative thinking skills and methods in work related or personal situations
Practice thinking in non-conventional ways by thinking out of the box, using mind mapping, picture associations and other methods
Examine leadership theories with emphasis on situational leadership
Describe the major competencies of Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Define the role of the leader as delegator and change agent
Target Audience
Supervisors, managers, team and project leaders, and all individuals
who need to adopt a more creative approach at work, whether to solve
problems, come up with new initiatives or initiate and introduce
changes. The course will also benefit anyone interested in recognizing
and developing their own or a group's creative potential.
Target Competencies
Self-awareness
Leading and managing people
Influencing others
Managing change
Delegating
Creativity
Course Outline
Definition of creativity
Introduction: creativity and civilization
Defining invention, innovation and creativity
Intelligence versus creativity
Some theories of creativity
Creative people in action
Understanding the 2 hemispheres of the brain
Right and left
Lateral thinking
Lateral thinking in action
Applications of lateral thinking
Creativity as a business tool
The creative thinker
Constraints in the workplace
The creative manager
Three parts of creativity
Motivation
Domain expertise
Creative ability
Innovation and organizational culture
The creative attitude
The creative methods
Ways of overcoming barriers
Tips for the workplace:
Developing a culture of creativity
Exploring problem areas
Generating ideas
Evaluating ideas
Critical thinking
Critical thinking skills versus creative thinking
Ancient Greece
Exploring the idea generation process
The Brainstorming Technique
The six thinking hats
De Bono’s four thinking styles
The leadership journey and situational leadership
Situational leadership: theory and simulation
Situation’s maturity level
Levels of development
Maturity levels and leadership styles
Overview of related research (2010):
Major findings about 300+ successful leaders from 120+ organizations in 12 Arab countries
Leadership, delegation and empowerment
Delegation: definition, objectives and rules
Delegation levels
Why delegation is not popular
Guidelines for delegation
Decision making styles in the Gulf
Empowerment: definition
Ten ways to empower employees
Is your organization ready for empowerment?
The leader as change catalyst
The nature of change
Kotter’s eight step change process model
Understanding and dealing with resistance to change