KAI and Creative Style

KAI Feedback : 

KAI Feedback Sandy Cormack KAI Consultant

Feedback Session : 

Feedback Session Background Creative Style Defined Characteristics of Adapters and Innovators The Paradox of Structure The KAI (Definition, Scale) Applications for Teams and Groups

Background : 

Background Early research in the 60s focused on ‘management initiative’ – how ideas are developed and adopted in organizations Research focused on how eight large British corporations introduced new products, procedures, processes, etc. into their organizations Analyzed what went right, what went wrong, and why

Problem Solving Process : 

Problem Solving Process Usually Did Not Take Place Some Changes Readily Accepted, Some Never Accepted Usually Took Years (2-3) Ideas Outside of the ‘Establishment’ Were Not As Well Received

Creative Style Defined : 

Creative Style Defined Creative Style = Thinking Style Theory explores the way people solve problems All people need to manage change successfully All people solve problems and are creative, but not in the same manner

Style vs Level : 

Style vs Level Creative style is different from, and unrelated to, creative level Level Style Two ‘extremes’ of creative style – ADAPTIVE and INNOVATIVE ADAPTIVE INNOVATIVE High Low LEVEL more associated with intellect, talent, skill

Adaptors and Innovators : 

Adaptors and Innovators Characteristics of the INNOVATIVE creative style: Need for less structure Solves problems by breaking, modifying, eliminating, replacing the current paradigms Prefer radical, transformational change ‘Do Things Differently’ Characteristics of the ADAPTIVE creative style: Need for more structure Solves problems by refining, extending, improving the current accepted paradigm Prefer incremental, predictable change ‘Do Things Better’

The Paradox of Structure : 

The Paradox of Structure Structure both ENABLES and LIMITS us The tighter the structure, the more it enables, but also limits The more adaptive seek to TIGHTEN structure The more innovative seek to BREAK structure This difference influences the way adaptors and innovators: Perceive the problem Create ideas Implement solutions

Descriptive Summary : 

Descriptive Summary

The KAI : 

The KAI KAI developed in the mid-80s after 20 years of creative style research Inventory of 33 questions Yields a score between 32 and 160 (general population range is 45-145) Places individuals on a continuum from ‘Highly Adaptive’ to ‘Highly Innovative’

National KAI Distribution : 

National KAI Distribution Mean = 95, Standard Deviation ~ 20

Your KAI Score Is… : 

Your KAI Score Is… ?

KAI Subscores : 

KAI Subscores Sufficiency of Originality (Idea Generation) Efficiency (Method) Rule (Conformity) 13 65 39 41 7 35 21 12 60 36 19 35

Creative Style is NEVER a Pejorative : 

Creative Style is NEVER a Pejorative All people problem-solve and are creative Adaptors and innovators can be equally good or bad at problem solving – they just do so differently It takes a wide range of styles to solve all problems Do not tolerate creative style differences – welcome them ME YOU

Style is Relative : 

Style is Relative An individual may be more innovative or more adaptive, relative to others in the group More adaptive than… More innovative than…

Applications : 

Applications

Problem A - Problem B : 

Problem A - Problem B When I solve a problem by myself, I am faced only with the problem at hand (Problem A) When I ask for your help at solving a problem, I am now faced with two problems: The problem at hand (Problem A) The problem that lies between us because we have different creative styles (Problem B) A A B

Managing Creative Diversity : 

Managing Creative Diversity Managing diversity is the key to managing change To be effective, we have to MANAGE Problem B, so that we can FOCUS MAXIMUM ENERGY on Problem A B

Idea Landscape : 

Idea Landscape More Adaptive More Innovative

Idea Landscape : 

Idea Landscape More Adaptive More Innovative

Idea Landscape : 

Idea Landscape More Adaptive More Innovative

Idea Landscape : 

Idea Landscape More Adaptive More Innovative

Narrow Diversity : 

Narrow Diversity A group with narrow creative styles tends to communicate, work together and trust one another well (i.e. naturally minimize Problem B)…. BUT… …prefer Problem A to fall within their ‘narrow range’ Problem A Range Problem B

Wide Diversity : 

Wide Diversity A group with widely dispersed creative styles can solve a wider range of problems BUT… …have more trouble managing Problem B Problem B Problem A Range

Coping Behavior : 

Coping Behavior We use Coping Behavior to operate outside our preferred creative style Coping behavior is EXPENSIVE – must have sufficient MOTIVE and must be REWARDED Therefore, there is a cost to managing Problem B (cost vs benefits)

Bridging : 

Bridging A ‘bridger’ is someone who can effectively bridge wide gaps in creative style Gap of 10 points between individuals is the beginning of a noticeable difference Gap of 20 points requires effort Being a bridger requires: An Intermediate KAI score A willingness to undertake the role Skill at performing the bridging function

Group Training : 

Group Training Diversity Audit – Perform KAI on a group and Ask members how diversity can be immediately used Ask members what can be used in the future and how Train them to accept and welcome creative diversity Ask members to consider the costs of failing to accommodate diversity Explore with them the relationship between managing diversity and managing change Train them techniques to simulate different creative styles

Organizational Alignment : 

Organizational Alignment Narrow KAI group – use when problems are predictable, routine, not unexpected, and in a definable range (adaptive vs innovative) Diverse KAI group – use when problems can be widely adaptive or innovative Cascading KAI groups – align narrow KAI groups with different phases in the problem solving process, using bridgers to help transition from phase to phase A A I A Mid I Ideas Solutions Actions