1. Thinking Together:
A Thinking Styles Approach to
Group Creativity
A Workshop for the
PS21 EXCEL Convention, 28 Nov 2008
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

2. Workshop Big Ideas
• Individual creativity may be limited
• Group creativity is based on
collaboration
• However, groups often report low
creativity
• Individuals believe they can perform
better than groups
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

3. Check-ins
• In pairs, discuss what creativity is
• Share at the table your discoveries and
questions.
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

4. Check-ins
• Cards - Purpose: Identify thinking
preferences, introduce each other
• What’s your creative outlet?
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

5. Thinking Attributes Defined
Clear thinker Intuitive about ideas
Logical problem solver Imaginative
Enjoys math Visionary
Rational Enjoys the unusual
Learns by mental analysis Learns by experimenting
Practical thinker Intuitive about people
Likes guidelines Socially aware
Cautious of new ideas Sympathetic
Predictable Empathetic
Learns by doing Learns from others
Behavioral Attributes Defined
EXPRESSIVENESS
The outward display of emotions toward others and the world at large
ASSERTIVENESSS
The degree of energy invested in expressing thoughts, feelings and beliefs
FLEXIBILITY
Willingness to accommodate to the thoughts and actions of others

6. Advertisements as Creative
Outputs
• Ads are egs of creative outputs you see
everyday
• Targetted at specific thinking styles,
• Ad Exercise : Which thinking styles are
targetted by the ads you’ve been given?
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

7. Mental Models
• Our mental representation of
something existing in the real world.
• May not be accurate.
• We bring our mental models into group
life, affecting group creativity.
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

8. Group Creativity
• Mental Models of common behaviours:
• Expressiveness
• Assertiveness
• Flexibility
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

9. Expressiveness
the outward display of
emotions toward others and
the world-at-large
1/3 2/3 3/3
Quiet Alone Reserved Spontaneous Gregarious Performer

10. Assertiveness
the degree of energy
invested in expressing
thoughts, beliefs and feelings
1/3 2/3 3/3
Peacekeeper Amiable Easy going Competitive Driving Telling
Emergenetics ® LLC

11. Flexibility
the willingness to
accommodate to the
thoughts and actions of
others
1/3 2/3 3/3
Likes Likes Strong Likes Likes Puts
defined control opinions different ambiguity others’
situations points of view needs
before self

12. Creative Output
• In your groups, create:
• a sculpture of cards
• an advertisement to sell it, to reach all
4 thinking styles
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

13. Group Creativity
• Creative results based on:
• Commitment
• Communications (debate?)
• Collaboration
Noel E K Tan, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

14. For more info:
• Email Noel E K Tan at noel@go-
trailblazer.com