The Innovative Team: Unleashing Creative Potential for Breakthrough Results

Discover your own thinking style at www.foursightonline.com/innovativeteam

"The power of a good story to teach us important life and business lessons is strikingly evident in this enjoyable, realistic, and practical business tale. It′s two books in one, really both a fictional story and a factual tutorial on how you can move a group intentionally through the important stages of innovation. When you read The Innovative Team you′ll travel down the path of breakthrough thinking and experience the many twists and turns, ups and downs, detours and speed bumps of a group that′s challenged to solve a tough business problem. At the completion of the journey, you′ll be treated to a master class in creative problem solving. You′ll learn practical tools, valuable tips, and important concepts that you can apply to your own innovative team. It′s a must–read for all leaders who want to improve the ways in which their groups find new and sustainable solutions to the ever–increasing challenges that organizations face."
Jim Kouzes, coauthor, The Leadership Challenge; Dean′s Executive Fellow of Leadership, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University

"Keeping the faith on new ideas, especially when they are genre breaking or truly innovative, is never easy. This story of a group of colleagues trying to do exactly that reveals the struggles occurring daily in organizations aiming to innovate. It offers insights into the frustrations of bringing about innovation, while providing readers with practical ways to drive creativity through their business."
Linda Green, development executive, The British Broadcasting Corporation

"We live in an age of unprecedented and rapidly accelerating change, in which everyone wants to be innovative but few can define what that actually means or describe how to get there. Through simple language and storytelling, this book creates awareness of the creative resources in your organization and offers a proven framework to harness them and achieve real, measurable results. Highly recommended!"
Dr. Casimer DeCusatis, IBM Corporation; recipient of the 2011 Sigma Xi Walston Chubb Award for Innovation and the 2002 Mensa Copper Black Award for Creative Achievement

"Great teams pursue innovation, and this book tells you how. Drawing on years of research, the authors offer a process you can use with your team. They show you what successful breakthrough teams do; they pull you toward your team′s possibilities."
Geoff Bellman, consultant and author of Extraordinary Groups and Getting Things DoneWhen You′re Not in Charge

"If you′re looking to up your performance as a team or simply increase your chances of getting change adopted, you′ll get there with The Innovative Team. Backed by research–based tools and twenty years of experience, this book teaches individuals and teams how increasing their awareness of the breakthrough thinking process can accelerate performance. From fable to process deep–dive, this is a must for your toolbox."
David Gonzalez, design and delivery manager, Center for Creative Leadership

Acknowledgments ix

About the Authors xi

Foreword xv

Introduction 1

Part 1 The Story

Chapter 1 We Have a Problem 13

Chapter 2 JustWhat Kind of Duck AreWe Dealing with Here? 27

Chapter 3 The Sum of the Parts 33

Chapter 4 The Need and theWay Out 41

Chapter 5 Thinking About Thinking 59

Chapter 6 Mapping a Minefield 67

Chapter 7 The Power of a Good Question 77

Chapter 8 FromWild toWorkable 89

Chapter 9 Combining the Unlikely 99

Chapter 10 Be CarefulWhat YouWish For 109

Chapter 11 Preserving the Novelty 121

Chapter 12 Priming the Pump 127

Chapter 13 The Pieces Come Together 139

Chapter 14 What s the POINt? 153

Chapter 15 Assisting Acceptance 163

Chapter 16 Sealing the Deal 181

Epilogue Where Are They Now? 187

Part 2 Exploring the Four Creative Thinking Styles

Chapter 17 Applying the Framework 193

Chapter 18 Clarifying the Situation 195

Chapter 19 Generating Ideas 205

Chapter 20 Developing Solutions 215

Chapter 21 Implementing Plans 225

Chapter 22 The Combination of Preferences Within People 231

Chapter 23 Creating Conditions for Success 237

Chris Grivas is an organizational and leadership development consultant focused on increasing the creative capacity of individuals, teams, and organizations. His clients have included Ernst & Young, Connecticut Children′s Medical Center, and New York University, among others.

Gerard J. Puccio is department chair and professor at the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State College and partner in FourSight, a training company and publisher of FourSight: Your Thinking Profile. He is an accomplished writer, speaker, and consultant to Fisher–Price, British Broadcasting Corporation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kraft, and others.