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Curiosity, Creativity, and Innovation: the American Mindset

• John Pisapia, ProfessorLeadership Studies

Florida Atlantic Universityjpisapia@fau.eduFulbright Scholar

Chinese University of Hong Kongjpisapia@cuhk.edu.hk

Seminar: United International College March 29, 2012 – Zhuhai, P.R. China

Overview

Target #1: Develop an understanding of the mindset many Americans hold, why it needs to change, and the mindset we need to develop.

Theme 1: The Traditional American Mindset The Power of Mindset

Theme 2: Why does it need to Change?

The Nature of Change Power of the Curve

The Pyramids of Change

Theme 3: What is the Mindset we Need? Agility of the Mind: A Way of Thinking（思維的靈活性—思維）

Developing The Strategic Mindset Systems thinking, Reframing, Reflection（系統思考、轉換思維、反思）

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MindsetReset Your Thinking and See the Future

Mindset is the way you think about things. The schemas – , i.e. cognitive filters, mental models, and assumptions held by individuals or groups which creates an outlook that causes them to act in a certain way.

Awareness Test

Culture Programs the Mind & effects how people think

• Individualism refers to the identity of self as based either solely on the individual or on the individual as part of a group or a collective.

• Masculinity refers to a society’s preference for competition and outcomes (masculine values) as opposed to cooperation and process (feminine values).

• Power distance refers to the social stratification within a society such that higher status individuals and groups are accorded more power and authority by those of lower status

• Uncertainty avoidance refers to a society’s fear of unknown

or ambiguous situations.• long term orientation refers

to a willingness to withhold

gratification.

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Source: Hofstede (1980); GLOBE (2004)

Characteristics of the American Mindset

• Independence, freedom of spirit, an unwillingness to be bound by the rules of society,

• Self reliance,• imagination, intuition, inquisitive, • intrinsic motivation, • risk taking, • a wide range of interests, • high levels of activity/energy, and• a sense of humor.

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Why do we need to change the

way we think?

Curiosity, Creativity and Innovation

W H Y ?Every few hundred years in western history there occurs a sharp transformation. We cross... a divide. Within a few short decades society rearranges itself, its world view; its basic values; its social and political structure; its arts; its key institutions. Fifty years later, there appears a new world...we are currently living through such a transformation. Drucker, 1993: p 1

You don’t have to change

W h y d o w e n e e d t o t h i n k D i ff e r e n t l y ?

The Power of the Curve

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Expl

oita

tion

Expl

orati

on

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EXAMPLE: Exploitation – Exploration –Disruptive Innovation

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2000 Xbox 2005 Xbox 360

2006 Wii

Adapted from McCarthy, I.P., Lawrence, T.B., Wixted, B., and Gordon, B. 2010. A Multidimensional conceptualization of environmental velocity. Academy of Management Review, 35(4), 604-626

Exploitation

Exploration

Disruptive Innovation

W h y d o w e n e e d t o T h i n k D i ff e r e n t l y ?

The Power of the Curve

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Expl

oita

tion

Expl

orati

on

Disruptive Innovation

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The Lessons of the CurveLesson #1 The Leadership LessonOld maps do not work! Disruptive change and

globalization are challenging the legitimacy of legacy command and control models of leadership.

These NEW conditions reward leaders who:Practice from analytic and integrative mindsets,Recognize new trends coming from their environment, Connect with the minds and spirit of followers.

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Frame Breaking Change

Lesson #2 The Change Lesson

The Pyramids of Strategic Change

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Frame Sustaining

Change Evolutionary

Revolutionary

Punctuated

Disruptive

Continuous

Discontinuous

Transformational

Incremental

Strategic

Directed

Planned

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Exploration

Exploitation

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1907

1917

1927

WHAT KIND OF CHANGE IS THIS?

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SUCCESSFUL LEADERS THINK DIFFERENTLY!

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L e s s o n # 3

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Has the capability to understand and rapidly adapt to changes in our environment.

The Mind we need!

Creative ideas are both novel and valuable

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Unfortunately, “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

“Think Differently”

The innovative mind takes the creative idea and successfully implements it

What is Stopping Us from Developing the Mindset we need?The Strategic Leader Network 16

Awareness Test

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Here is what is Stopping Us from Thinking Strategically?

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Our assumptions encase us behind a veil.

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And, just HOW

do we lift the

veil?

SL STARTS WITH CULTIVATING YOURSELF

Competency 1: : SLers possess an Agile mind. They use strategic thinking skills - systems thinking - reflection - reframing - which enable them to think strategically. These skills make it possible to recognize patterns, make sense out of seemingly unrelated information. They use them to switch from a strategic mindset -“Why and What” - to a tactical mindset -“How and When” - in a rapid and iterative processes when appropriate.

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Be Curious…

The 5 Whys

Be Flexible

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The one who would be in constant happiness must frequently change." –

Confucius Or, as the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge said, . . .”we need qualities of the mind in which the poetic spirit is coupled with a logical approach.”

Androgyny

Be Wise

You are right it’s a bit more complicated

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Its not that easy -

You need to have the ability to

think in a strategic

Way

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Its not that easy - Just

how do I do this?

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AT ITS CORE, THINKING IN A STRATEGIC WAY REQUIRES LEADERS WITH . . .

The ability to:1. Make and execute: CONSEQUENTIAL DECISIONS about :

ENDS, STRATEGIES , and TACTICS

2. Think strategically and execute change effectively with a profound appreciation for stability. 04/07/2023

Agility is enhanced when you can switch from “Why and What” – to “How and When” - in a rapid and iterative processes.

Strategic Synthesis Tactical - Analysis

The Mindset we need enables us to:Learn

–. Search for information through reading and using. Spot and seize new ideas and game- changing opportunities that can shape the organizations competitive advantage. Be curious.

Change – Open to New Ideas. See the organization as a whole and understand how various parts of the organization relate to and affect each other. Be Flexible

Sense – Perceive variation in the environment, social relationships, readiness to change, take the right action at the right time. Discern meaning among events and bits of information that at first glance would appear to be isolated. Be Wise.

WHat?

A strategic mindset requires that you are able

to think through:

Synthesis as well as Analysis;

Nonlinearly as well as Linearly;

Abstractly as well as Concretly;

Creatively as well as Critically. 29

That is ok in Theory but REALLY just

HOW do I do this in

real life?

Exercise Your Mental Muscles!

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The Strategic Thinking Skills

Reflection

ReframingSystems Thinking

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Analytical

Creative

Divergent

Synthesis

Intuitive

Critical

Evaluative

Integrative

Pragmatic

Tactical

Reasoning

Practical

StrategicSolutions

Future

Forward

Convergent

Deductive

Inductive

Holistic

Linear Non Linear

The Strategic Thinking Skills

Systems Thinking

Systems thinking refers to the ability to think holistically, defining the entire problem by extracting patterns in the information one collects before breaking the problem into parts

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Agility

S y s t e m s T h i n k i n g

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Helicopter Thinking34

The Strategic Thinking Skills

Reframing Reframing refers to leaders’ ability to switch attention across multiple perspectives, frames, mental models, and paradigms in order to generate new insights and options for actions.

Takeaway: It enables SLers to sort through problems and opportunities, to see problems in ways that allow them to map out different strategies, and identify trends before others see them.

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The Strategic Thinking Skills

R e fl e c ti n g

Reflection refers to leaders’ ability to weave logical and rational thinking together with experiential thinking through perceptions, experience, and information to make judgments as to what has happened

Takeaway: it enables SLers to create intuitive principles that guide what is happening in the present and their future actions.

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OK - Let’s Identify your STQ Profile and develop your learning plan

Want More?jpisapia@fau.edu

• Pisapia, J. (2009). The strategic Leader: New tactics for a globalizing world.

Charlotte: NC. Information Age Publishing• Join one of SLN's Global Learning

Communities!

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Selected Books and Articles• Strategic Leadership

• Pisapia, J. & Ellington, L. (under contract). The Strategic Leader: An experiential approach. Charlotte: Information Age Publishers

• Pisapia, J. (2009). The strategic leader: New tactics for a globalizing world. Charlotte: Information Age Publishers. [2010- Washington Post List – 5 best leadership books]

• Pisapia, J. (2006). A New direction for leadership. (Education Policy Studies Series No. 61). Hong Kong: The Faculty of Education and the Hong Kong Institute of Educational Research. (Monograph) – cited in Scopus

• Pisapia, J. (2012). Finding the future and making it happen. In S. Verma (Ed). Towards the next orbit. New Delhi: Sage Publishers.

• Pisapia, J. (2006). Mastering change in a globalized world. In P. Singh, J. Bhatnagar, & A. Bhandarker (Eds). Future of work: Mastering change. Chapter 19, pp. 303-327. New Delhi: Excel Books. IBSN: 81-7446-302-2.

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Selected Books and Articles•

Strategic ThinkingPang, N.S. & Pisapia, J. (2012). The Strategic Thinking skills of Hong Kong School Leaders: Usage and Effectiveness. Educational Management Administration and Leadership. [19% acceptance rate]

• Pisapia, J. & Robinson, D. J. (2010, March). Transforming the academy: Strategic thinking and/or strategic planning. Paper presented at the American Institute of Higher Education Conference, Williamsburg, VA.,

• Pisapia J. Y Robinson, D. (2011). Transforming the Academy Part 2: Vision integration in Higher education institutions. Paper presented at the Strategic Management Society meeting in Miami, Florida Nov 4 , 2011

• Brennan, P. (2010). Pursuing success without scandal: Exploring the relationship between transformational and Authentic Leadership. Unpublished dissertation, Minneapolis, MN: Cappella University

Pisapia, J. & Glick-Cuenot, S. (2010). Strategic Thinking Skills and Undergraduate Student Academic Success: A Preliminary Report. Presented at the American Institute of Higher Education - 4th International Conference March 18, 2010, Williamsburg Virginia, USA

Penney, G. (2010). The use of strategic thinking skills and technology tools by Fire Chiefs. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Florida Atlantic University.

Raghavan, S., Shukla, A. & Shaid, S. (2010). Strategic thinking and its impact on performance: An upper echelons perspective. Presented at the Society of Strategic Management Finland

Pisapia, J., Pang, N.S.K., Hee, T. H. Lin, Ying, & Morris, J.D.  (2009). A comparison of the use of strategic thinking skills of aspiring school leaders in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Shanghai, and the United States: An exploratory study. International Journal of Educational Studies. 2(2), 48-58. 

Zsiga, P. (2008). Leader effectiveness from self-directed learning and strategic thinking International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management 2008 - Vol. 8, No.4  pp. 306 - 317

Pisapia, J., Reyes-Guerra, D. & Yasin, M. (2006) Strategic Thinking and Leader Success Presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Conference on Advances in Management, Lisbon Portugal, July 19-22, 2006.

Pisapia, J., Reyes-Guerra, D., & Coukos-Semmel, E. (2005). Developing a Strategic Mindset: Constructing the Measures. Leadership Review, Spring 2005, Vol. 5, pp. 41-68 - cited in Scopus

Pisapia, J., Coukos-Semmel, E., & Reyes-Guerra, D. (2004). Assessing the cognitive processes of leaders: Do effective leaders think differently than less effective leaders?  In A. Lazaridou (Ed.), Contemporary issues on educational administration and policy (Chapter 9, pp 147-170). Athens, Greece: Athens Institute for Education and Research. ISBN: 960-88331-2-4. 42

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The Test – Match the Thinking Skills to the pictures