Michael D. Mumford

Leading creative people: Orchestrating expertise and relationships

Abstract Global competition, new production techniques, and rapid technological change have placed a premium on creativity and innovation. Although many variables influence creativity and innovation in organizational settings, there is reason to suspect that leaders and their behavior represent a particularly powerful influence. In the present article, we review the available literature examining leadership behaviors contributing to creativity and innovation in organizational settings. Based on the findings obtained in these studies, we argue that the leadership of creative people requires expertise. Moreover, the successful leader must employ a number of direct and indirect influence tactics—tactics consistent with the needs of creative people working in an organizational environment. The implications of these observations for theory and practice are discussed.

Leadership skills for a changing world: Solving complex social problems

Abstract Leadership has traditionally been seen as a distinctly interpersonal phenomenon demonstrated in the interactions between leaders and subordinates. The theory of leadership presented in this article proposes that effective leadership behavior fundamentally depends upon the leaders ability to solve the kinds of complex social problems that arise in organizations. The skills that make this type of complex social problem solving possible are discussed. The differential characteristics and career experiences likely to influence the development of these skills also are considered along with the implications of these observations for leadership theory and for the career development of organizational leaders.

Managing Creative People: Strategies and Tactics for Innovation

Abstract With rapid changes in technology, and global competition, the success of many organizations has become progressively more dependent on their ability to bring innovative products to market. Ultimately, however, innovation depends on the generation of creative, new ideas. Accordingly, the literature bearing on the nature of creativity is reviewed to identify the conditions that influence innovation. Observations about the nature of creativity are used to draw conclusions about the kind of human resource management strategies that might enhance creativity. It is argued that organizations should consider multiple interventions that take into account the individual, the group, the organization, and the strategic environment when selecting interventions intended to enhance creativity.

The effectiveness of creativity training: A quantitative review

Abstract: Over the course of the last half century, numerous training programs intended to develop creativity capacities have been proposed. In this study, a quantitative meta‐analysis of program evaluation efforts was conducted. Based on 70 prior studies, it was found that well‐designed creativity training programs typically induce gains in performance with these effects generalizing across criteria, settings, and target populations. Moreover, these effects held when internal validity considerations were taken into account. An examination of the factors contributing to the relative effectiveness of these training programs indicated that more successful programs were likely to focus on development of cognitive skills and the heuristics involved in skill application, using realistic exercises appropriate to the domain at hand. The implications of these observations for the development of creativity through educational and training interventions are discussed along with directions for future research.

Where Have We Been, Where Are We Going? Taking Stock in Creativity Research

The dedicated work of numerous scholars has, over the last 10 years, led to some radical advances in our understanding of the nature and implications of creativity. This work has been summarized in 2 recent handbooks-Mark Runcos Creativity Research Handbook and Robert Sternbergs Handbook of Creativity. In this article I use these handbooks as a starting point to take stock in both what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done in our attempts to understand creativity. I begin by noting that both handbooks clearly describe the major approaches being used in studies of creativity and the findings resulting from each approach. A careful review of the chapters presented in these handbooks, however, brings to the fore a number of issues. For example, we need critical comparative tests contrasting the merits of different methods and theories, elaboration and extension of our traditional samples and our traditional measures, and more attempts to develop integrative models. However, some topics, such as the demands of practical innovation, cross-field differences in the nature of creative thought, and the effects of creativity on people and social systems need more thorough treatment. By laying a foundation for cumulative research along those lines, publication of these handbooks represents an important step toward development of a coherent, scientific model of the creative act.

Taxonomic efforts in the description of leader behavior: A synthesis and functional interpretation

Abstract A systematic definition of the behaviors contributing to effective organizational leadership is required for both theory development and the design of training interventions. This article describes an attempt to formulate a general taxonomy capable of describing the functional behavioral requirements for effective organizational leadership. This effort began with a review of earlier taxonomic efforts for describing leader behavior and with the specification of the demands placed on leaders in organizational settings. A subsequent analysis of the actions required for an adaptive response to these demands led to the specification of 13 leader behavior dimensions. This taxonomy was then evaluated with respect to the existing taxonomic literature, principles of taxonomic development, and other available evidence. Finally, the taxonomys relationship to other theoretical systems was discussed, along with some of its broader implications for understanding the determinants of leadership performance.

Process analytic models of creative capacities

Abstract: Although a number of factors condition the success of creative efforts, most investigators recognize the fundamental importance of novel problem solutions. As a result, a number of systems intending to describe the processes contributing to the generation of innovative problem solutions have been proposed. In the present article, earlier models describing the processes contributing to creative problem solutions are reviewed. The common themes appearing in these models are then considered in relation to the use of extant information structures. Certain implications of cognitive information processing for understanding the nature and ontogeny of the creative act are then discussed, along with their potential contributions to the identification and development of creative potential.

Climate for Creativity: A Quantitative Review

Abstract Creativity is commonly held to emerge from an interaction of the person and the situation. In studies of creativity, situational influences are commonly assessed by using climate measures. In the present effort, a meta-analysis was conducted to examine 42 prior studies in which the relationships between climate dimensions, such as support and autonomy, and various indices of creative performance were assessed. These climate dimensions were found to be effective predictors of creative performance across criteria, samples, and settings. It was found, moreover, that these dimensions were especially effective predictors of creative performance in turbulent, high-pressure, competitive environments. The implications of these findings for understanding environmental influences on creativity and innovation are discussed.

An occupational information system for the 21st century : the development of O*NET

The Origins of O*NET The O*NET Content Model Research Method Development and Field Testing of the Content Model Basic and Cross-Functional Skills Knowledges Occupational Preparation - Education, Training, Experience and Licensure/Certification Generalized Work Activities Work Context Organizational Context Abilities Occupational Interests and Values Work Styles Occupation-Specific Descriptors - Approaches, Procedures and Findings Occupational Descriptor Covariates - Potential Sources of Variance in O*NET Ratings Cross-Domain Analyses Occupation Classification - Using Basic and Cross-Functional Skills and Generalized Work Activities to Create Job Families Database Design and Development - Designing an Electronic Infrastructure Summary of Results and Implications for O*NET Applications and Future Directions O*NETs Theoretical Contributions to Job Analysis Research.

Social Innovation: Ten Cases From Benjamin Franklin

ABSTRACT: Students of creativity have examined innovation in the arts, sciences, and engineering. Social innovation, the generation and implementation of new ideas about social relationships and social organization, has received less attention. This effort uses a case study approach, drawing from the historic record provided by Benjamin Franklin, to formulate some initial hypotheses about the strategies and tactics used to generate and implement social innovations. It was found that Franklin identified problems based on practical need, analyzed causes carefully, generated contextually appropriate low-cost implementation strategies, and built the support needed for demonstration projects. The implications of these strategies and tactics for innovation in modern organizations are discussed.