Hiring for Creative Abrasion

"If everyone is thinking similar, then someone is not thinking." -George S Patton

Tiny business strategy ought to always include a roadmap for innovation. Your people will engineer the products & the processes that make you competitive. By generating teams that are not diverse in terms of ethnicity, but also in emotional intelligence or thinking styles, you can speed up the lifecycle of invention. Of coursework, you cannot make people adopt different thinking styles, but you can arrange thinking styles in such a way that your group's productivity benefits from the different perspectives. When different thinking styles rub against each other, the creative sparks will fly. This is the idea behind creative abrasion.

Identifying thinking Styles

First let's understand what a thinking style means. A thinking style is an unconscious way a person processes dilemmas & interrelates with those around them. When faced with an issue, a person will usually approach it by thinking in the way he/she is most comfortable. Each style has particular advantages, & no style is better than the other.

The Myers Briggs type indicator breaks down thinking styles in to four categories, each with opposing tendencies. Note that most people exhibit all 8 of these in some form or fashion.

Ayurveda, known as the science of life, there's three main doshas or mind-body principles that govern our style of thinking and behaving:

*Extroverts versus Introverts: These types tend to method information externally versus internally.
*Sensing versus Intuitive: These people tend to be prefer information that is concrete (relatable to the senses) versus abstract or conceptual ideas.
*Thinking versus Feeling: These people prefer logical processes and order versus emotional cues or value based decision making.
*Judging versus Perceiving: These types prefer closure over ambiguity.
In addition though, there is an alternative way at taking a look at thinking styles. According to the ancient study of

Vata types tend to always be on the go, with an energetic and artistic mind. Vatas love excitement and new experiences. They are fast to anger but also to forgive.

Pitta types have a powerful appetite for both information and experience. Pittas have a powerful intellect and a powerful ability to concentrate. They are exact, sharp-witted, direct, and often outspoken.

Kapha types are individuals who tend to naturally be solid, reliable, and contented souls. Kaphas are naturally calm, thoughtful, and loving. They have an inherent ability to enjoy life and are comfortable with method.
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Conditions for Success

Think holistically. It is not to hire one who has a one-of-a-kind point of view. A lone ranger soon feels singled out and relegated. To get the full benefit of diverging styles, you need to start by pulling in a critical mass of newbies with fresh perspectives. Afterwards, however, you need to proactively be definite that new members are thoroughly integrated in to the existing teams. Start by explaining why you brought in new blood and why it is valuable to stir the pot with different perspectives and skills.

Develop a deep awareness of your own thinking style and start to create an appreciation for others. Select members of the group whose differing qualities play against each other-making definite that the "friction" advances than weakens the quality of ideas coming from the group. For example, build teams that have a variety of thinking styles, but assign project tasks to a pair that have opposing styles. Veteran subject matters specialists will benefit from working with anyone who unabashedly employs a beginner's mind, unfettered by the prevailing wisdom.

Fostering friction
In a creative team, friction can be a nice thing: it hones ideas and improves creative inertia. But, as a leader, you must closely watch discussions. There is a fine line between positive and negative creative conflict. Make no mistake about it, creative abrasion does have its risks. When you put divergent thinking styles together in room, the result won't be harmoniously congruent-otherwise, what fun would that be? Expect to have clashes-that way, you won't be surprised when they occur. But you must be attentive, consistently asking yourself if the conflict is creative or not. When conflicts become personal, morale drops and productivity will certainly suffer. It is highly recommended to have a method or outlet in place that lets members express concerns, or perhaps, blow off steam.

Establish concise group norms, based on your company values. This won't prevent all personal conflict from happening, but they are very useful to turn to when there is a gridlock. Being able to refer team members back to the agreed-upon ways of behaving can help you restore a sense of order. To guarantee the free flow of ideas, adopt guidelines that:

-Demand respect for all members at all times
-Commit to active listening
-Nurture individual expression
-Praise deliberate risk taking
-Encourage a playful atmosphere
-Celebrate wins