Creative meetings
Jan Rollof
Research Policy Institute, School of Economics and Management, Lund University, Sweden
PP: 357 - 372
Abstract
This article presents results from 23 structured interviews focused on creative meetings (a crucial part of the definition being that something new is created in the meeting, through interaction between people). The interviewees represented many different fields of industry and academia, and together many hundred years of experience of meetings.
Six main perspectives pertaining to creative processes were discussed: dynamics and social interaction, leadership, actions and results, technical equipment, diversity and language, and size of meetings. The interviewees were asked to relate their personal experiences, and the study is therefore qualitative and retrospective.
Opinions were similar for some factors, including the central role of trust and optimal size of creative meetings (6-10 people). Views differed considerably for other factors; for example on the impact of diversity on the creative process, and whether creative meetings happen by chance or by planning and deliberation.
For many topics, both positive and negative aspects were mentioned; for example, the influence of diversity and language on creative processes.
Keywords
creativity, innovation, meetings, leadership, trust, social interaction
Article Text
There is a clear focus on creativity and innovation in the society of today, not least as crucial success factors both for organizations and the progress of society (Boston Consulting group 2006; Kao 2002; Ford & Gioia 1995). In companies and other types of organizations people work together towards common goals, and meetings represent a point of contact and connection between individuals. In meetings, participants solve problems and create the new and improved, whether it be products, processes, or organizational aspects. Many ideas for creative and innovative projects originate in meetings, which are also instrumental in developing and expanding initiatives, and for the planning and decisions necessary to implement innovative undertakings. To a large extent meetings are the place and toll where the intellectual capital is used to generate concrete value.
Meetings between people are also vital elements in effective knowledge management. We live in a world of rapid change and development; the consequences and opportunities for change are discussed and handled in meetings. The quality and power of decisions, crisis management, and strategic choices also depend on creative use of information, knowledge, and ideas - which are all typically handled in meetings.
New concepts capture evolving driving forces and mechanisms of innovation. One example is the concept of open innovation (Chesbrough 2003), in which collaboration between partly or fully independent actors is an important factor. Another example is user driven innovation (von Hippel 2005). The need for and the value of collaboration between different parts and competencies within organizations are also widely recognized.
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