Does Your Culture Perpetuate Creativity?

(Excerpts from a Moravec and Associates conference presentation)

Ask your workgroup to confidentially rate each item from 1-9.

Each rating must be supported by a recent specific example.
If you can't recall an excellent (note not good) specific example, rate the factor 1.

You maybe surprised by what is learned.

Engagement

How easy is it to initiate conversations with people you don't know in the organization?
Do employees get the information they need easily and without fighting a bureaucracy, hierarchy or IS?

Values

Can the services people explain all the "values" of the company?
Can the researchers, scientists, technicians explain all the "values" of the organization?

Challenge and Involvement

How emotionally involved are people in:
- Vision, mission.
- Their project, work group.

Trust/Openness

Conflicts

Playfulness/Humor

How much fun are employees having?
Are there adequate areas and equipment on the site for play, exercise, solitude, informal gatherings?

Idea Support

How are new or unusual ideas treated?
Can a person with a new idea incubate it unreservedly within or outside the work group?

Debates/Heated Discussions

Risk-Taking

Do people take bold action even if the outcome is unclear?
Can people recite examples of successful and unsuccessful bold action in public?

Vision

If you asked a colleague to use their own words to describe the organization's vision, mission how would she/he reply? (100% correct to doesn't know it.)

There is no right or wrong answer.

Tabulate the workgroup results.
Display the results on a flip chart.
Select one item for discussion.
Don't leave the discussion without identifying specific desired outcomes and measures.
Identify outcome Sponsors: team or individual.
Stay the course!
Review progress, outcomes, adjust to continue forward.
Stay the course!!

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