This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
degree courses, our alumni and brought together our academic and administrative staff on common issues. The evaluations and feedback show that all participants won new insights and practical techniques. I think I can say that all those who attended came away inspired. We were also delighted that you could accommodate us with both English and German workshops.”


“I am especially excited that three of our Sustainability Masters students told me that they will be using SynNovation techniques in their Masters project! They are going to develop a set of principles for SMEs to implement eco- sufficiency for selected stakeholder groups.”


Universities are important melting pots for cultural diversity and at all three universities where we have worked, there were students from different cultures and different countries. The German experience again showed that – because the approach is based on principles that ‘make our heads work best’, the principles are effective across cultures.


The approach used The approach shared and used in all these events was mainly a combination of ground rules and behaviours that create a positive climate, and an overall process and several easy tools to both generate and develop creative ideas. Figure 3 (above)shows the positive, collaborative ‘green’ behaviours of respect and mutual support that encourage innovation and participation. These behaviours, discovered by Synectics in the late 1950s, correlate closely with concepts such as Emotional Intelligence (Nolan, 2007), and the African Ubuntu culture. Respectful approaches promote confidence, collaboration, sustainable creativity, learning, and positive emotional experiences – and thus also brain functioning and performance (Prince, 2003). This contrasts with negative ‘red’ behaviours (Figure 4 above) that are critical, hierarchical, and discourage creativity and innovation.


Did the seeds take root? Neuroscience shows how results can be lasting Although feedback from all these ‘events’ has been very positive, it has mostly been informal. It will take time to see how and where these seeds have taken root. Inevitably, some


84 Management Today | September 2012


seeds will have been picked up by the birds of time, habit, ‘the way we have always done it’, discomfort with something ‘different’, uncertainty or disinterest.


However, our experience of working with Synectics / SynNovation over 16 years in various organisations is that the positive climate and the results are usually more lasting than initially expected. Some tools and ground rules become a way of life for individuals wishing to promote creativity and a positive climate – even if the whole organisation may not fully embrace them.


The lasting effectiveness of the Synectics


approach and practical tools, discovered in the United States experientially over 50 years ago (Nolan and Williams, 2010, Prince, 2003, and Nolan 2007), can now be explained by neuroscience (Rock, 2008, 2009). Behaviours, ground rules and facilitation that create a positive climate, clarity in roles and process, fun group activities, recognition of ideas, and informal seating and healthy ‘brainfood’ during workshops, all enhance ‘well-being’ in participants, and release positive neuro-transmitters. This encourages participants to use the positive behaviours and tools afterwards, and thus enhances ‘durability’ of learning and performance.


The organising principle of the brain is to minimise threats and to maximise reward. Chemical messengers – neurotransmitters – let the brain know if it is


receiving ‘good


news or bad news’ and then activates specific parts of the brain. The reward response is transmitted by dopamine to stimulate the nucleus accumbens (NA).


Key neuro-transmitters include Serotonin (mood, sleep, appetite), Dopamine (DA) (interest, gratification) and Noradrenaline/ Norepinephrine (NE) (alertness). Fear (real or imagined, in work or nature, life- threatening or emotional) releases NE, triggers the amygdala and induces stress. Under stress conditions serotonin and DA drop, and NE increases and stimulates the amygdala.


The amygdala is triggered by feelings like fear, anxiety, anger – whereas the nucleus accumbens


The Innovation Journal


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111