Five cultural barriers to creativity include a requirement for
conformity, a dependence on generalizations, a trust in the power of reason and
logic, a belief in an either/or perspective on issues, and a reliance on expert
knowledge. All of these barriers could keep a group from being creative.
It takes self-confidence
for individual group members to take the risk of moving from doing what is
expected to creating something different. It’s so much easier for people in a
group to conform to what is expected than to be non-conformists and create
something new. Dependence on
generalizations stifles creativity because when the group sees things as
they generally are, they don’t see things as they creatively might be. Trust in the power of reason and logic
can keep a group from imagining a solution to a problem that defies reason and
logic, but is still possible. Belief in
an either/or perspective on issues with no allowance for a grey area keeps
a group from seeing creatively collaborative solutions. Reliance on expert knowledge doesn’t allow the group to brainstorm,
which can lead to creativity.
I definitely experience lack self-confidence in a group setting. Although
I will do so, I don’t like taking a risk to speak up when I don’t know how what
I say will be received. I fear taking risks in groups, but force myself to do
so when I think of something that would help the group move forward.
I’ve also been in a group in which a few of the members felt an issue
was black and white with no shades of grey. Several of us were quite frustrated
with those members, who were not open to discussion because they “knew they
were right.”
Good evening Lee very interesting post. I will say I am quite the opposite I do like taking risks to speak up and I do this because I do not experience lack of self confidence. I will say that I had to go to the military to strengthen this trait of mine but it is one thing I know that if I don't speak up then no one will hear me. In fact I speak up so much that sometimes it hard to shut me up.
ReplyDeleteIve been in groups as well where an issue was black and white with no shades of grey as you say. unfortunately those type of groups don't end well because no one wants to budge and help the group move forward.
I will also say that I like how word reliance is used in "Reliance on expert knowledge doesn’t allow the group to brainstorm, which can lead to creativity." I hope people don't think that expert knowledge is bad thing because we all know it can help but referring to is just like the saying goes went to the water well one too many times. Good post and keep up the good work.
Hello Lee! Excellent post. I love the way you've organized and made it very readable and clear. Thanks for sharing a personal experience of yours with us :) I used to be the group member who "was always right." In recent years I've been able to open up, listen and try to do things/see things from a different perspective. It has helped a lot in my group communication and outlook on the world as a whole. Cultural barriers are only natural as are most other barriers. Like the text says, "when we become too orderly, we lose the ability to see things from a different perspective, "(168). And this is exactly what keeps group from being creative. The challenge is to be open minded about things and to think outside the box. I feel like our generation and the one after us are becoming more creative with technology and all the new possibilities that can be constructed from it. More and more companies and schools are asking for creative, innovative assignments, tasks and creations. Great job!
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ReplyDeleteHey Lee!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to you about self-confidence in groups. If no one emerges right away as a leader, I usually feel much more comfortable speaking up and being creative, but I tend to fade into the background and play more of a supporting role otherwise. But on the opposite end of the spectrum, when everyone is contributing fairly equally, I tend to have more confidence when it comes to being creative. It is when one or two other members have a clear vision for what they want that causes me to lose the confidence to speak up more.
Man was this an easy post to read! The way you bolded the different cultural barriers in your response definitely improved my understanding over the whole topic. I understand what you mean by lacking self-confidence when speaking my opinion with a group of people who I am not really close with. I find it easier to communicate my ideas to my friends, rather than other students in a class. I have the tendency to think the people in my group will judge who I am when I speak my ideas. I guess this common problem that many students face. For example, in my comm 40 class for advocacy and debate, I have a tough time getting in front of my class, although I have a great presentation.
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