Building a Fun and

Creative Team

Kristin Hanks
Spring 2003

About This Workshop

Introduction:
This workshop is based on three principles I have noticed in my 6 years of employment in
Information Technology:
First, in the technology industry, a promotion often means going into management.
Unfortunately, many people are trained as programmers, machine operators, or data engineers.
Forming and coordinating a team are foreign concepts to many of those individuals.
Second, technology is an industry that is constantly changing. New ideas are often the main
product. So, creativity is coveted. However, many people seem to believe that creativity is
something that you either have or you dont. In a go go go environment, few managers have
the time to figure out what creativity is and how to get more of it.
Finally, because of the recent explosion of information, people in technology MUST work in
teams to really achieve. No one person can master all of the concepts a company or organization
needs to have a successful IT infrastructure.
This workshop was developed to provide IT managers with a pinch of management training, a
dash of creativity promoting ideas, and a smidgeon of team theory. Because IT professionals do
not often have a lot of time, the workshop will consist of just 4 hours. Materials in the workbook
supplied to the attendees are intended to provide support and ideas after the initial seminar.
Targeted Group:
This seminar is designed for IT managers interested in improving their teams productivity
and/or morale. It should be especially helpful for new managers or people recently promoted out
of more solitary positions, such as programming.
Organization:
The workshop is divided up into seven sections. These are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Why Have Fun/Creativity at Work?

Tapping Into Your Own Creativity
Getting to Know Your Team
Creative Thinking Techniques
Avoiding Blocks to Creativity
Rewarding Your Team
Hiring Creative People

These follow what I believe would be the logical progression for a new manager: appreciate fun
and creativity, find out how to get it, and finally learn strategies on how to maintain it (and hire
in a way to continue it). The workshop will only be 4 hours long but will cite numerous
resources that managers can refer to long after the seminar.

Section 1: Why Have Fun/Creativity at Work?

Learning Objectives:
1. Become aware of some of the benefits of fun in the workplace.
2. View examples of fun in workplaces around the country.
3. Explore types of fun that are inappropriate in the workplace.
4. Understand that fun does not have to cost a lot of money.
5. See examples of creativity on the part of the manager, which leads to fun in the
workplace.
Materials to be Learned:
This section mainly provides examples of workplace fun. There are no specific lessons/materials
to be learned. It is intended to open the participants minds to the endless possible ways to
improve the work environment. It also provides a bit of structure by including a list of areas that
are more controversial and harmful than fun. My hope is that this section will energize and
motivate the attendees to want to create a team/workplace like those listed as examples.
Methods and Procedures:
There will be open discussion after reading through this section of the workshop. I will ask
participants to point out a few examples they really like or have seen in practice.

Section 2: Tapping Into Your Own Creativity

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand ways to measure creativity.
2. Explore the concept that managers must understand their own creativity before they can
help others become more creative.
3. Examine the concept that there are ways to improve your own creativity.
Materials to be Learned:
1. What is a creativity test? How is it scored?
2. Techniques to improve creativity.
Whatwouldhappenif..
Unusualusesforcommonobjects
Brainstorming
Internalvisualization
Fantasy
Practiceaskingquestions
Problemdefining
Scampermethod
Listwhatisgood,whatisbad
Visualpuzzles
LogicExercises

Methods and Procedures:

1. Activity Creativity Test
2. Discussion Creativity tests are not necessarily accurate, but can be used to increase
your awareness of your own creativity. If you received a low score, dont worry! There
are quick and easy ways to improve!
3. Activity Upside Down Drawing Task Have participants draw the picture of Leonardo
da Vinci upside down. This helps them understand the concept of letting go of
preconceptions and the usual way of doing things.
4. Cite Sources How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael Gelb; Creativity is
Forever, Gary Davis
5. Discussion Other personal creativity methods (see list above) participants are
provided with space to take notes on the methods they like. Their writing the ideas down
may help concrete them in their heads.

Section 3: Getting to Know Your Team

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand some fun ways to get to know other team members.
2. Explore methods to build team morale.
Materials to be Learned:
1. Ice Breakers What are they and what do they do?
Index Card:
Treasured Objects
Intro self by a nickname
Middle name game
Accomplishment Hunt
Team brainteasers
2. Team Building exercises.
Celebrating Special Events
Team Photos
Activities
Psychic Massage
Positive Strokes
Community Building
Methods and Procedures:
1. Activity - Index Card (favorite hobbies, favorite cities, something interesting about you,
etc.)
2. Discussion Examples of Ice Breakers and Team Building Exercises. Ask participants if
they can think of other ideas they have encountered.
3. Activity Scrambled Cities. Break into pairs. The team that finishes first wins a prize.
4. Cite Source Still More Games Trainers Play, Scannell and Newstrom.

Section 4: Creative Thinking Techniques

Learning Objectives:
1. Examine various creative techniques a group can use.
2. Explore which creative techniques can be used for different work related situations.
Materials to be Learned:
1. Idea spurring questions
2. Other techniques:
a. Brainstorming
b. Reverse Brainstorming
c. Mental Mapping
d. Metaphorical Thinking
e. Idea Checklist
f. 6 Hats
Methods and Procedures:
1. Activity Reverse Brainstorming of ways to make cubicle life worse!
2. Discussion Talk about the different creative thinking techniques and real workplace
examples for each of them. Stress that there are many many other activities out there.
3. Cite Sources - A Whack on the Side of the Head, Roger Von Oech; Dr. Curt Bonks class;
Creativity is Forever, Gary Davis.

Section 5: Avoiding Blocks to Creativity

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the various blocks to creativity.
2. Explore specific ways to avoid squelching the creative ideas of your teammates.
Materials to be Learned:
1. Von Oechs 10 Blocks to Creativity.
2. Idea Squelching Phrases.
Methods and Procedures:
1. Discussion What are blocks to creativity?
2. Discussion Idea Squelching Phrases.
3. Activity Break into groups and think of real examples of idea squelching phrases you
have heard. How did they make you feel? Did you want to come up with more ideas?
Did you become defensive? The group with the most examples wins a prize.
4. Cite Source A Whack on the Side of the Head, Roger Von Oech.

Section 6: Rewarding Your Team

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand that rewards do not need to be monetary.
2. Explore the importance of rewarding employees.
5

3. Examine how motivation is tied to rewards.

Materials to be Learned:
Just as in the Why Have Fun and Creativity at Work section, this section mainly provides
examples. There are no specific lessons/materials to be learned. It is intended to open the
participants minds to the endless possible ways to reward employees.
Methods and Procedures:
1. Discussion Read the table of content pages from the 1001 ways books (see below).
Discuss the different types of rewards and incentives. Discuss why rewards motivate.
Examine why just giving more money is not necessarily the most creative way to reward
your employees.
2. Cite Source 1001 Ways to Reward Your Employees, 1001 Ways to Energize
Employees
3. Discussion How are some of the ideas that were listed in the Why Have Fun and
Creativity at Work section are not only motivating, but also rewarding.
4. Activity Brainstorm If you have just $20 to reward your employees for a job well
done, how could you do it?
5. Discussion Free Rewards (see printout). If you have absolutely NO resources to use
for rewards, there are still ways to make employees feel valued.

Section 7: Hiring Creative People

Learning Objectives:
1. Examine the characteristics of a creative person (both good and bad).
2. Discuss ways to seek creative people.
Materials to be Learned:
1. Creative Person Attribute List (Both Positive and Negative).
2. List of ideas on ways to test for creativity.
Methods and Procedures:
1. Discussion Creative Person Attribute List. Do these describe anyone who works for
you? Are they high achievers or low achievers? Do you know anyone with the negative
creativity traits?
2. Activity Metaphorical Thinking How is your position like being a shark? How was
your last job like being in a prison? How was your last job like being in an amusement
park?
3. Discussion - The questions in the activity could be used in an interview. What would you
think of a person who said their last job was like being in an amusement park because it
was exciting? What if they said it was because it was too crowded and they hated being
around all those people? What if they said it was because it was dangerous and not worth
the risk? Discuss other techniques you could during interviews, such as shortened
versions of creativity tests, What if questions, etc.
4. Cite Source Creativity is Forever, Gary Davis.

Assessment Procedures:
There will be a short survey given at the end of the workshop. This will allow participants to
convey which parts they found the most helpful and interesting to them. In addition, I will give
participants one month to try incorporating at least one technique into their workplace. We will
then have a one-hour follow-up luncheon where we discuss what worked, what didnt, and any
new ideas that the managers have come up with since the workshop.
Materials Needed:
One notecard for each participant
Pens, pencils, markers
Paper
Flip Chart to list good ideas
One copy of each of the following for each participant:
Workshop Workbook
Upside Down Drawing
Scrambled Cities (From More Games Trainers Play)
Food and Drink
Candy or other small prizes

Table of Contents
Why Have Fun/Creativity at Work?
Why Have Fun at Work?
Employers Use Fun to Fight Turnover
Fun is Not.

Tapping Into Your Own Creativity

A Creativity Test How creative are you?
Other Creativity Techniques
Upside-down Drawing or Opposite Hand Drawing pg 274, How to Think Like Leo

Getting to Know Your Team

Ice Breakers
Team Building

Creative Thinking Techniques

Idea spurring questions
Other Techniques: Brainstorming, Reverse Brainstorming, Morphological Synthesis, Idea
Checklists, etc.

Avoiding Blocks to Creativity

What are blocks to creativity? - Von Oechs 10
Avoid being an Idea Squelcher

Rewarding Your Team

1001 Ways to Reward Your Employees
1001 Ways to Energize Employees
Free rewards

Hiring Creative People

List of attributes
Creativity Tests like the one you took earlier
Interviewing Techniques

Why Have Fun At Work?

Some Fun Statistics

Employers Use Fun to Fight Turnover
Fun is Not.

Fun Statistics

Ninety-six percent of execs (in a survey by Accountemps) believe people with a sense of
humor do better in their jobs than those who have little or no sense of humor. (HRFocus,
Feb. '93)

Employees who take part in silly games think more creatively and develop more
innovative solutions to problems. A Cornell University study found that people who'd just
seen a funny movie increased their "creative flexibility." (HR Focus, Feb. '93)

Employees with the Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, after viewing humorous
training films and attending workshops, showed a 25% decrease in downtime and a 60%
increase in job satisfaction. (HR Focus, Feb. '93)

Twenty middle managers at Digital Equipment Corp., in Colorado Springs, in- creased
their productivity by 15% and reduced their sick days by half...in the nine months
following a workshop conducted by a humor consultant. (HR Focus, Feb. '93)

A survey of 329 company executives found that 97% agreed that humor is valuable in
business...and 60% felt that a sense of humor can be a deciding factor in deter- mining
how successful a person can be in the work world. Another survey found that 84% of
personnel di- rectors interviewed said that employees with a sense of humor do better
work. (Terry Braverman, Training and Development magazine, July '93.)

An HR survey found that a majority of workers think their offices are too bleak. ("Let the
Good Times Roll: Building a fun culture," in Harvard Management Up- date.)

Here's one for Hamilton and other sour skeptics to consider: Pessimists die earlier. That's
the conclusion of a study of 839 patients who originally came to the Mayo Clinic in the
early 1960s. They were given a detailed personality test, including an optimismpessimism scale. Researchers followed up 30 years later. They found that the optimists in
the tested group lived longer than the pessimists. (Mayo Clinic Proceedings)

For those, like Hamilton and people she quotes, who grouse that they'd rather have the
money than the fun...consider the study by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.. In a test, the
manager of special accounts marketing offered cash rewards to half the participants in the
test. He offered non-cash rewards to the other half of the participants. Those participating
were sales associates and managers at 900 company-owned stores and service centers.
Result: Those rewarded with non-cash produced results almost 50% greater than those
offered just cash.

Source: http://www.employerhelp.org/jimcollison/stories/naysayer.htm

10

Employers Use Fun to Fight Turnover

It'sSeriousBusiness!
Everyonehashadabadhairday,buthowaboutabadtie,badhatorbadshoeday?Moreand
morecompaniesareputtingtogethercontestsontheugliestdressed.Why?Anothercompany
sponsorsanannualturkeybowl.Employeesgooutontheloadingdock,takeafrozenturkeyand
trytoknockdownasmanyemptywinebottlesaspossible.Thisisnotevidenceofcompanies
gonenuts,buttacticsusedtostemoffaseriousbusinessproblem.
Thebiggestproblemfacingbusinesstodayishowtokeepandmotivateworkers.Theother
problemslappingtheminthefaceishighturnover.JustliketheTitanic,today'smobile
employeesjumpshipforaslittleasa$1.00hrraiseunlesssomethingkeepsthem.That
somethingmayequatetoafun,flexibleworkplacethatgivesthemmorefreedomand
responsibility.Wouldn'titbegreatifyouenjoyedgoingtowork?Whereyoursupervisors
showedappreciationforwhatyoudid?
Acompanyexperiencinghighturnoverhasaseriousfinancialproblem.Itcostsanywherefrom
$4000$15,000torecruit,hireandtrainanewemployee.OneAtlantacompanylost420ofthe
431employeestheyhiredthisyear.Ifitcostthem$4000peremployeethatequatestoa$1.7
millionloss.Unfortunately,mostemployersdonotknowhowmuchturnoveriscostingthem.
Hereareafewexamplesoffunworkplaces:
HumorCorner:Giveemployeesonecornerofabreakroomorotherareatopostcartoons,
illustrationsandotheritemsdesignedtorelievestress.Attheendofeachweek,thestaffcan
awardaprizeforthebestsubmission.
Flextime/flexshare:FirstTennesseeBank,(city,state)believesthatifyoutreatemployeeswell
theyinreturntreatyourcustomerswell.Theuseofflextimeandflexshareprogramshasresulted
indoubletheloanvolumehandledsince1992withnoincreaseinstafformajorchangesin
systemsortechnology.Anadditionalbonus:agiantleapincustomerserviceratings.
TheTalkingStick:Tryintroducingthe"talkingstick"intoyouroffice.Thisideaoriginated
fromaNativeAmericantradition.Eachmonthadifferentpersonintheofficereceivesthe
talkingstickwhichprovidesthatpersoncertainrightsandprivileges(whichvaryfromofficeto
office)forthemonth.Forexample,the"owner"couldprovidefellowemployeesonehoura
monthadministrativeleave.
EmployeeDollars:AtPhoenixSolutionsInc.employeesawardan"employeedollar"tofellow
employeeswhodosomethingspecialorexceedcompanyexpectations.Eachmonththe
employeewiththemostdollarsgetsmovietickets,dinner,andaplaquewiththeirnameas
"EmployeeoftheMonth."
"Managementbyfoolingaround":HerbKelleher,CEOandfounderofSouthwestAirlines,
combinesfunandhardworkintosomethinghecalls"managementbyfoolingaround."Atthe
nonconformistairlineeverythingfromtheticketsandboardingpassestothecasualdressand
occasionalcostumesattendantswearclearlydemonstratesthatsomethingisdifferent.
Payday:TheMilwaukeeofficemanagerforManpowerInc.doesn'tjustgiveoutpaycheckson
paydayemployeesalsoreceiveaPaydaycandybarwiththeircheck.
11

LightningBoltThrutheHead:Agreattoolsforgettingpeopletothinkinnovativelyandhave
funatthesametime.

Employers Use Fun to Fight Turnover PG. 2

ManOverboardAward:CIGNAbelievesinrewardingemployeeswhogoesoverandbeyond
fortheircustomers.TheManOverboardAwardisalifesavingring,whichthepresident
presentstoanemployeeataspecialceremony.CIGNAalsopaysteamsforimplementedideas
thatimproveproductivitywithawardsashighas$25,000.
ChooseYourOwnReward:AtMiamibasedCreativeStaffing,theownerrewardsher
employeeswithparties,expensivedinners,chauffeuredshoppingsprees,spasessions,and
cookinglessonswithPaulProdhomme.Sheletsheremployeesdecidewhattheywant,then
figureouthowmuchtheirpackagecostsandalsohowmuchadditionalbusinesstheyhaveto
generatetocoverthosecosts.Chooseyourownrewardsoundslikefun!
EngineeringBucks:ThetechniciansatWeatherChannelinAtlantacreatedtheirown
recognitionsystemcalledTechBucks.AlltheydidwasXeroxadollarbillandgivefiveof
themoutatthebeginningofeachmonth.Theygivethemtoeachotherfordoingagoodjob.At
theendofthemonththeytallyupwhogotthemostandthewinnergetsaspecialprize.
DancingtheMacarena:EmployeesatPeopleSoft,Inc.stillhaventforgottenthedaythatCEO
DavidDuffielddancedtheMacarenainfrontof500happycoworkers.Duffielddoesnotactlike
aboss.Hisofficeisacubicle;heanswershisownphoneandopenshisownmail.Annual
employeeturnoveristhreepercent,oronequarterofthenationalaverage.Employeeswhoearn
outstandingserviceawardsgeteither$500incashor100stockoptions.
TheExtraMileUnitedServicesAutomobileAssociation(USAA)providesblank"ThankYou"
notestationaryfortheirworkerscalledTheExtraMile.Employeesareencouragedtosay"Thank
You"toeachotherforthehelptheyreceiveatwork.Themostsurprisingthinghappenedonthe
firstdayUSAAprintedthenotes...theyranout!Thecompanycouldn'tkeepupwiththe
demand.
FatFriday:Justabouteverybodylovestoeat.AtTexasA&MthefirstFridayofeachmonthis
celebrationtime.Everyonebringsfoodtoshare,andtheycelebratebirthdaysforthosemonthas
wellasworkanniversaries.
SurpriseCelebrations:Oftenitstheunexpectedandinformalthatemployeesenjoyasmuchas
formalawards.Conductfrequent,unannouncedrecognitionandawardcelebrations,suchas
havingapizzaparty.Ifyoudontknowofareasontohaveagettogetherfortheworkforce,
inventone.
GoldStarsandFrogs:AtWachoviaBank,eachMondaymorningtheysetmilestonesforthe
weekwithinputfromstaffmembers.OnFriday,employeesreceiveaGoldStarand$2.00(funny
money)foreachmilestonemet.Employeescanalsorecognizetheirpeerswithastickerofa
frog,whichisworth$1.00.Staffmembersdisplaythegoldstarsandfrogsonawhitecardboard
poster.Attheendofeachmonth,theyholdarandomdrawingforadinner($50.00)andmovies
($25.00).
HavingFun:HalRosenbluth,CEOofRosenbluthInternational(thenationsfourthlargest
travelservicescompany)believesincreatingafunworkenvironment.Hestartsbyhiring"nice
people,"sincehebelievesnicepeopleliketoworktogetherandtheyliketohavefun.Officers
12

dedicateeveryTuesdayafternoontoservinghighteaanddiscussingcorporatevaluesandother
mattersofimportancetonewrecruitsatthecompanysPhiladelphiaheadquarters.Theresatoll
free800numberforanyassociatetocontactRosenbluth.HeusesasortofCrayolaRorschach
testbysendingassociatescrayonsandblankpapertorendertheirviewofthecompany.A
"happinessbarometer"teammeetseverysixmonthstobenchmarkattitudesandenjoyment
levels.

Employers Use Fun to Fight Turnover PG. 3

FauxPausAward:Sometimesitsfuntorecognizeanemployeesgoof.Trythe"FauxPaus
Award"aplaquepassedaroundtheorganizationatamonthlysocialeventwiththecurrent
recipientsnameengraved.The"keeper"oftheawardisresponsibleforselectingthenext
deservingrecipient.
AfterDinnerPhoneCall:Eventhoughyoutooktimeduringtheworkdaytothankthe
employeewhowent"aboveandbeyond,"goastepfurtherandcallthemathomeafterdinnerto
saythanks.Youmightbesurprisedhowmuchthiscanmean.
BreakfastwiththePresident:TheHumanResourcesDepartmentofNationsHealthcareInc.
initiateda"BreakfastwiththePresident"programtoimprovecommunicationsbetween
employeesandtheCEO.Eachbreakfastbeginsatapproximately8:15a.m.,withcoffeeand
biscuitsservedbythestaff,andendswhenthediscussionends.Resultshighermoraleanda
senseofopencommunication.
FunFridays:ADallas(Texas)unitofSprintCorporationuses"FunFridays"toenergize
workers.Themeshaveincludedexchangingaplantwithacoworker,andicecreamsocials
wheremanagersworeapronsandservedsundaes.
ThrillingThursdays:NikeEmployeesinBeaverton,OregoncantwaitforThursdaytoroll
around.Theystopworkat4:30intheafternoonandaftersomebeerandsodatheykayakacross
alake,racebikesandcompeteina600yardrun.
Source:http://www.chartcourse.com/articlefun.htm

13

Fun Is Not.

Fun is not making fun of coworkers or management

(No mimicking, no teasing, no mocking)
Fun is not telling jokes
(No ethnic jokes, no off-colored jokes, no dark humor)
Fun is not practical jokes or pranks
Fun is not sexual
Fun is not deceptive
Fun is not gambling
Fun is not sarcastic
Fun is not making fun of the company

Source:http://www.employeremployee.com/Web

14

Tapping Into Your Own

Creativity

Creativity Tests How creative are you?

Increasing your Creativity - Methods
Upside Down Drawing Exercise

15

A Creativity Test

16

Source: Davis, 1992

17

Increasing Your Creativity Methods

Whatwouldhappenif..
Unusualusesforcommonobjects
Brainstorming
Internalvisualization
Fantasy
Practiceaskingquestions
Problemdefining
Scampermethod
Listwhatisgood,whatisbad
Visualpuzzles
LogicExercises
HowtoThinkLikeLeonardodaVinci(7steps),byMichaelGelb
TherearealsomanyBooksonIncreasingCreativity

18

Upside Down Drawing Exercise:

Follow the directions on the handout given.

19

Getting to Know Your Team

Source: http://www.cartoonwork.com/evaluation.htm

Ice Breakers

Team Building

20

Ice Breakers
Index Card: What is unique about you???
1. Favorite Sports/hobbies/past times (upper left)
2. Birthplace and Favorite cities to visit (upper right)
3. Current Job and Responsibilities (lower left)
4. 2 comments, things, or traits about yourself (e.g., team player,
personable, talkative, opinionated, hate Purdue, like movies, move
a lot, hate sports) (lower right)
5. Accomplishments you are proud of (in the middle)
Treasured Objects -Take out two items out of your wallet and describe
how they best represent you (e.g., family pictures, credit cards, rabbits'
feet) and share.
Intro self by a nickname - current, past, or potential
nickname. (ask others what it means during break)
Brainstorm a list of questions you would like to ask the
others... (e.g., My person I most admire is? The best book I
ever read?)
Middle name game - state what middle name is and how
you got it.
Accomplishment Hunt 1. Turn in 2-3 accomplishments (e.g., past summer, during
college, during life);
2. Workshop leader lists 1-2 of those for each student on a sheet
without names.
3. Participants have to ask "Is this you?" If yes, get a signature.
Team brainteasers fun IQ tests , scrambled cities,
crossword puzzles, competitions

Source : Merger of Ice Breakers (Bonk, 1998; Raffini, 1996; Scannell & Newstrom, 1991;
Thiagarajan, 1998).

21

Team Building
Note: See more examples of team building exercises in the Fun at Work section and the
Rewarding Employees Section of this workbook.
Celebrating Special Events Celebrate birthdays, team accomplishments, holidays, and more.
Team Photos Every time there is a new member of the team, welcome them by replacing the
old team photo.
Activities Go to challenge courses, lunches, field trips
Psychic Massage (a closer activity)
1. Divide in teams of 3-5.
2. In alphabetical order of first names have someone turn his or back to the group
3. Team members must make positive, uplifting statements about that person behind his or
her back but loud enough for others to hear them.
4. One minute per person.
Positive Strokes
1. 2-3 times during a long meeting or workshop, each person fills out a 3 x 5 card about
other participants.
2. They must complete sentences like: "the thing I like best about (name) "and "the
biggest improvement I saw in (name) is".
3. At the end of the day, the folded cards are passed out and read aloud and then given to
the named person.
Community Building -common tee shirts, photo of group and perhaps put up on the Web. Put
announcement of retreat on Web or newsletter.
Source : Merger of Ice Breakers (Bonk, 1998; Raffini, 1996; Scannell & Newstrom, 1991;
Thiagarajan, 1998).

22

Creative Thinking Techniques

Source: http://www.offthemark.com/workplace/workplace08.htm

Group Creativity Techniques

More on Idea Spurring

23

Group Creativity Techniques

Brainstorming More ideas, the better. Wild ideas good. No evaluation.
Example Use: Coming up with new ideas, project planning.
Reverse Brainstorming How to do things worse, take more time, be less
effective, have less fun.
Example Use: Writing boring year end reports, boosting employee morale.
SCAPMER method Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses,
Eliminate, Rearrange.
Example Use: Coming up with new ideas, new job roles.
Metaphorical Thinking How is your job like a circus?
Example Use: Interview questions, self performance evaluation.
Six Hats Wear different hats for different types of thinking.
Example Use: New idea evaluation
Attribute Listing or Morphological Synthesis Analyze or combine 2 key
variables/components in grid/matrix.
Example Use: Coming up with new ideas.
Simulations and Role Plays act out scenes, do computer simulations
Example Use: Customer Service training.

24

Source: Creativity Is Forever, Gary Davis

25

Reverse Brainstorming Exercise:

In the space below, list all the ways you can make cubicle life worse:

26

Avoid Being an Idea

Squelcher

Source: http://www.cartoonwork.com/Cartoon1.html

Von Oechs 10 Blocks to Creativity

Idea Squelching Phrases to Avoid

27

Von Oechs 10 Blocks to Creativity

1.TheRightAnswer
2. Thats Not Logical
3. Follow the Rules
4. Be Practical
5. Avoid Ambiguity
6. To Err is Wrong
7. Play is Frivolous
8. Thats Not My Area
9. Dont Be Foolish
10. Im Not Creative
Source: A Whack in the Side of the Head, Von Oech, 1983

28

Idea Squelching Phrases

As a manager, work hard to never use these phrases. They will diminish motivation and
creativity and promptly halt all fun at work.

Weveneverdoneitbefore.
Wevealreadytriedthatbefore.
Itcantbedone.
Itwontwork.
Noway.
Areyounuts?
Itsawasteoftime.
Imtellingyou,itjustwontwork.
Whatwillotherpeoplethink?
Somebodywouldhavesuggesteditbeforeifitwereanygood.
Itistoo_____(modern,oldfashioned,expensive,cheap,flashy,boring,etc.)
Letsdiscussitatsomeothertime.
Youvegottobekidding.
Youasktoomanyquestions.
Itsnotinthebudget.
Ithaslimitedpossibilities.
Letsformacommittee.
Dontforgetthechainofcommand.
Wedontwanttosteponanytoes.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Breakintogroupsandcomeupwith3orfourverycreativeideasquelchers

Source:CreativityIsForever,GaryDavis.Pg.29

29

30

Rewarding Your Team

Source: http://www.cartoonwork.com/reinforce.html

1001 Ways to Reward Your Employees

1001 Ways to Energize Employees
List of Free Rewards:
Reward Activity

31

1001 Ways to Reward Employees

TableofContentsPage:

Source:1001WaystoRewardEmployees
byBobNelson,KennethH.Blanchard(Foreword)

32

1001 Ways to Energize Employees

TableofContentsPage:

Source:1001WaystoEnergizeEmployees
byBobNelson

33

Free Rewards
1. Personally thank an employee for a specific job well-done. Specify what was good about it
and why you appreciate it, which tells the employee you do pay attention. For example, say:
"Thank you, Jim, for organizing that project so well. You made it very clear what should happen,
when and why."

2. Put that specific praise in a letter or thank-you note. When you take the time to write

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

something down, you clearly value it. This makes the praise even more meaningful. When
appropriate, copy the employee's manager on your praise letter. Sharing the praise with
management lets the employee know you support his or her success at your company.
Provide as much information as possible about the company. Share as much as you can
about how the company is doing, where it's making money, where it's losing money, how its
products are doing in the marketplace, what new initiatives are being considered and why, and
how the employee can best contribute to these efforts.
At every opportunity, include your employees in the decisions you make. In many cases,
your employees understand a side of an issue that you may not. If you need to create a more
efficient delivery system, ask your delivery men and women how they would improve the current
system. If you want to improve work flow for support staff, discuss with your secretaries and
clerical workers how to best keep the work flowing. Use their ideas, and give them credit for them.
Give employees the opportunity to learn as many new skills as they are able to. Most
people like to learn, to grow, and to improve their marketability, and the more skills you enable
your employees to learn, the more they will value their position with you. Cross-train whenever
possible so employees know each other's jobs. An added benefit is that employees who
understand the realities of one another's positions are more willing to cooperate and feel more
like members of the same team.
Celebrate successes. Celebrate an employee's successful completion of a project, a
salesperson's landing a big client, your company's improved sales figures, your organization's
successful year-end. After a particularly tense week, bring donuts and coffee and gather
everyone together to applaud a hard-working team. Provide balloons and noisemakers for a
rousing chorus of cheers for the completion of a difficult project. Buy a plastic crown at a party
store to place on the head of an employee who mastered a difficult skill or finished a course of
study. Mark the successes of your staff and celebrate them. Don't be afraid to be goofy in your
celebration; it's a refreshing change from hard work.
Provide free time and flexibility. Set aside an hour here and there for employees who have
delivered an extra level of work. Make it clear that the free time is a reward for a specific
accomplishment, such as finishing a challenging project or delivering month-end reports early.
Alternatively, you can reward all your employees together, for example, by letting them leave an
hour early to miss rush-hour traffic on a day of expected heavy traffic. Give extra time for lunch to
an employee or team who has worked through lunch to deliver something to a client. Allow time
off for personal or family responsibilities.

Source:http://www.entrepreneur.com/Your_Business/YB_SegArticle/0,4621,297355,00.html

34

Reward Activity
You have $20 total to reward your 10 employees. How do you do it? - Brainstorm

35

Hiring Creative People

Source: http://www.cartoonwork.com/besttalent.htm

Creativity Tests like the one you took earlier

List of Creative Peoples Personality Traits
Metaphorical Thinking in Interviews

36

37

38

39

Source:CreativityIsForever,GaryDavis
40

Metaphorical Thinking in Interviews

Howisyourcurrentpositionlikebeingashark?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Howwasyourlastjoblikebeinginaprison?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Howwasyourlastjoblikebeinginanamusementpark?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

41

Source:HowtoThinkLikeLeonardodaVincibyMichaelJ.Gelb

42