Module 3 Constraints on Creative Problem Solving

Pablo Picasso said that “every act of creation is, first of all, an act of destruction”. Consider this statement in light of the constraints we place on ourselves in the workplace. What are some constraints that you need to destroy before you can engage in creative problem-solving? Give an example of how a constraint you placed on yourself prevented you from solving a problem. Reflect on what you could have done differently and how you will prevent that constraint from limiting you in the future.


Destruction brings creation - that is the circle of life. Just as a phoenix in folklore is reborn upon death and as forests grow anew after a devastating fire, the world is filled with this destruction-creation cycle. Pablo Picasso's quote transpires more than these tangible examples and can even be put to good use when reshaping management and leadership techniques.

Problem-solving is all about breaking down barriers and creating answers. These barriers can take several forms such as mental blocks, lack of socialization, and isolationism. Whetten and Cameron (2016) argue that, "conceptual blocks are mental obstacles that artificially constrain problem definition and solution and that keep most people from being effective creative problem solvers." In order to overcome these blocks and barriers we have to practice techniques that are pro-innovation and pro-creativity. 

Personally, I have experienced several constraints in the workplace environment and wish I could have done things differently in the past. There are some things in the workplace that take massive change like working with your organization to eliminate cubicles which restrict and prevent coworker socialization and there are some that are easier yet can have a profound impact. I work in a cubicle farm and have felt the pains of trying to collaborate with colleagues. Moreover, office separation such as some coworkers being in completely separate buildings is also painful, but, not easily changeable. At my last position I worked in an office with two other people and was in charge of nearly thirty individuals at any given time. Being young and freshly out of college, I felt uneasy about my ability to lead and have traditionally always been shy. I would hunker down in my office and never really interact with others. I noticed that there was no real team after a while and I relied on other coworkers to pick up my leadership slack. I felt that I could get pretty much every task done without much help, but, even when things got hard I didn't seek help. I ended up finally changing my approach after some much needed advice from a coworker I now consider a mentor. He basically said I needed to get out more and actually talk to my people. After doing this for a while, just casually talking with subordinates, I ended up building trust and bonds with others eventually developing into a cohesive team unit. This technique was as simple as being interested and involved with others' personal lives and work lives which was essentially being somewhat friendlier. This fit along with another piece of advice I received which was to treat your team like family which means taking care of them whether that is with understanding their family needs like picking kids up from school, medical issues, and even providing food once in a while. Together as a team we collaborated more, morale was high, and we could solve harder problems. Schmitz (2012) says it right by stating that, "organization culture stems from the reality that most innovations come from collaboration within and across teams, not the genius or perseverance of a single individual." After implementing these changes, more innovations came and I ended up not having to work as hard with a full team behind me. I had to destroy my old habits of shyness and lack of socialization in order to create a more confident individual in myself and a true leader. Ultimately, I learned that small changes, no matter how miniscule, can have a great impact and that the destruction-creation process can have a domino effect across whole organizations. 


References:

Schmitz, A. (2012). Focusing on Organizational Change. Saylor Academy. https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_focusing-on-organizational-change/s11-02-what-makes-an-organizational-c.html

Whetten, D. Cameron, K. (2016). Developing Management Skills. (9th Ed.) Pearson.

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