Creative Thinking Models by Managers
In this assessment, I am going to investigate creative thinking models and approaches utilised by facilitative managers and to analyse factors that impact on the effective facilitative manager and their performance.
Creativity is a valuable tool to help people to solve their problems. Usually, creative people do not struggle to identify and understand the key aspects surrounding a problem, and they are able to find the best solutions. There are some models to help people to be more creative in their problem-solving.
2.1 Hurson’s Productive Thinking Model
This model was developed in 2007 by Tim Hurson, and it has six steps in which creativity and critical thinking are applied in each step. The six steps are (Mind tools, n.d.):
a. ask “what is going on?”
A deep understanding is necessary to solve a problem. Brainstorm are a good tool to explore the all situation, the impacts of this in the organisation and others and the root causes of the issue.
b. ask “what is success?”
Design your Target Future. Think about the key solution characteristics, how the solution will be effective in your organisation, and what values the solution should have.
c. ask “what is the question?”
Develop a list of questions to help you to find the answers for your problem.
d. generate answers.
This step aim to generate answers for the questions developed in the earlier step. Do not criticize your ideas in this step.
e. forge the solution.
Compare the answers generated in step D and compare with the list developed in step B. Find your solution based on these matching information.
f. align resources.
Human and non-human resources are identified in this last step to implement your solution in practice.
2.2 CPSÂ (Creative Problem Solving) Model
Alex Osborn (1963) formulated originally this strategy and Sidney Parnes, Osborns’ learner had taught this creative thinking model for approximately 40 years.
The models has 5 steps, however an additional step called mess-finding is suggested. It aims to locate a challenge or problem to apply the model. Each step firstly promotes divergent thinking to generates lots of ideas and after, convergent thinking to select only promising ideas. So, the total six stages are (Davis, n.d.):
a. mess-finding (objective finding): identify goal, challenge or wish
b. fact-finding: gather data (current situation, background, data and facts involved in this problem) through asking questions (who, what, when, where, why, and how)
c. problem-finding: clarify the problem (needs and concerns) using questions
d. idea-finding: generate ideas to solve the problem
e. solution finding (idea evaluation): what is the best solution? Can I strengthen this solution?
f. acceptance-finding (idea implementation): develop an action plan to implement your solution
3. Challenges faced
a. motivation people: during my presentation about the analysis of people’s personality using doodles, I encouraged my colleague to do some drawing. However, he struggled to this because to doodle is not a habit for him. I was surprised with his difficulty once to draw is so common for a lot of people, and because I did not expect this reaction, I had problems in motivating him. I had not thought any strategy to encourage people to participate. As a health manager, to know how to motivate people is one of the key skills. Organisations cannot meet their goals with their employees are demotivated.
b. changing people habits: during my presentation about doodles, because a participant does not have the habit to draw, he was a little bit resistant to do it when I asked to. So, we can clear see that this situation can happen in a health organisation, especially due to IT development. A lot of health professional are resistant to adopt the electronic medical records. It is a challenge for managers to persuade these professionals to change their minds, to leave the “old habit” and adopt the new technology available.
4. Solutions
4.1 Challenge: changing people habits
    Approach: Hurson’s Productive Thinking Model
a. ask “what is going on?”
A lot of medical errors are current happen in a health organisation due to lack of communication or misunderstanding prescriptions. To help to solve these problems, electronic medical records should be implemented. So, all staff of the organisation have to submit training to know how to operate the new system, once all employees are involved in this change in different levels.
b. ask “what is a success?”
The electronic medical records are running well and mainly reduce the medical errors. This new system should help to increase efficiency, reduce the waste and follow the current New Zealand legislation, such as Privacy Act 1993 and Health and Safety Act 2015.
c. ask “what is the question?”
What are the mainly features that the electronic medical records should have?
Which electronic medical records fits better in our organisation?
What are the root causes of medical mistakes and misunderstanding prescription?
How electronic medical records can contribute to reducing these issues?
Is this system secure? Does it preserve the patient identity and medical history?
Does this system fit in the organisational routine?
Would the staff able to deal with this system in their day to day tasks?
Are there other advantages to this system?
Are there other solutions for medical errors and misunderstanding prescriptions?
d. generate answers.
– What are the root causes of medical mistakes and misunderstanding prescription? Inefficient communication between professionals and unreadable letters.
– How electronic medical records can contribute to reducing these issues?
This system allows easy access to all patient information, avoiding medical mistakes and increase the written communication between professionals. Prescriptions and medical records are typed, solving the unreadable letters issue.
– Is this system secure? Does it preserve the patient identity and medical history?
The system has a high level of security to preserve the patient. Professionals have access to information according to their function.
– Does this system fit in the organisational routine?
Yes, there are computers available in all clinical rooms and offices.
– Would the staff able to deal with this system in their day to day tasks?
Training will be provided for all staff to make sure all employees can operate the system.
– Are there other advantages to this system?
It can increase the staff efficiency, reduce waste (mainly paper) and it is not necessary to have a physical room to storage the patient records.
– Are there other solutions for medical errors and misunderstanding prescriptions?
There are some solutions, such as typing the prescription. However, the implementation of this system can help in many aspects.
e. forge the solution.
|
Step B |
Step D |
|
electronic medical records |
 |
|
reduce the medical errors |
 |
|
reduce misunderstanding prescriptions |
 |
|
increase efficiency |
 |
|
reduce waste |
 |
|
NZ legislation |
 |
Electronic medical records is a solution for current organisational issues (medical records and misunderstanding prescriptions), once it can reduce waste, increase staff efficiency and communication.
f. align resources.
– budget to buy the system
– designate a support team
– meeting with all staff to explain the current situation
– check the computers
– delivery staff training
4.2 Challenge: motivation people
           Approach: CPS (Creative Problem Solving) Model
a. mess-finding (objective finding): how to motivate people in training
b. fact-finding:
– Why are people not feeling motivated?
– What are the potential facts involved in this situation?
– How to make people motivated?
– Is all stall demotivated? Or only someone?
– How demotivate people can impact in health organisation?
c. problem-finding:
– Who could be contributing to this situation?
– What strategies can be applied to solve this situation?
– Who can help to motivate people?
– Why do we need to motivate people?
– Why are people so resistant to changes? How to overcome this barrier?
d. idea-finding:
– highlight the importance of the topic
– show how the training can impact in their jobs
– show the benefits of the training
– identify and meet people needs
– describe the immediate use of training
e. solution finding (idea evaluation):
– to invest in training for trainers
– using of technology to make the presentation more interesting
– to develop the training in a practice way, creating a real scenario to facilitate the learning
f. acceptance-finding (idea implementation):
– listening to people needs
– training trainers
– invest in technology
– psychology support
References
Davis, G. CPS Model. Retrieved on 16th December 2016 from http://members.optusnet.com.au/charles57/Creative/Brain/cps.htm
Mind tools. (n.d.). Hurson’s productive thinking model: Solving problems creatively. Retrieved on 14th December 2016 from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/productive-thinking-model.htm