36 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
have multilinear relationships. Simultaneous behavior makes understand-
ability and control much more dicult due to the level of integration and
interdependence of the components and relationships. e right side of
the brain enables the capacity of people to deal with complex systems.
A simple ow on a control chart, for example, do A, then B, then C, as
opposed to a data ow diagram reecting two processes occurring at the
same time, which is an example of simultaneous behavior.
Finally, analysis is breaking the object of study into components. Analysis
is key to understanding the current pre-creative state of the object under
study and creating something new. Linear thinking helps simplify reality
into a set of predictable mathematically precise behaviors. One plus one
equals two is the anticipated result. It involves dealing with the world in a
logical way because such thinking is predicated on predictability, that is, it
presumes relationships are stable and predictable with little tolerance for
ambiguity or anomalies. e downside is that linearity tends to break down
as the complexity of a system increases, that is, augmenting the number of
variables and their relationships. Simple mathematical equations predicated
on a handful of assumptions no longer apply.
Synthesis is putting all the components together into some coherent
whole. is ability requires exploding a concept or object into components,
perhaps in varying levels of details in an eort to tackle the complexity
supporting it. e old notion of how do you stirfry an elephant applies
here—one piece at a time. Also, by breaking something down, the idea is
that you can mix and match the pieces to come up with a new idea. e
challenge, though, with exploding something into components is loss of
synergy, the notion that an idea or object had before being exploded into
components. is loss of connectedness, or relationships, involving inte-
gration and interdependence among the components gets lost while trying
to understand the pieces of a puzzle. Additionally, the eventual recom-
bination of the components may never be the same, depending on the
complexity of what is being exploded into components. In other words,
simplicity may result in the actual understanding of an issue or problem.
It may also result in a person losing sight of the big picture aer drill-
ing down into the details. In synthesis is important to do the same thing,
except this time, the pieces are put together to see how all the components
t and to uncover patterns that reveal the essence of how something works.
Unlike analysis, which requires breaking down an idea or object into com-
ponents, synthesis entails putting all the parts together. Emphasis shis,
therefore, from parts to relationships. Instead of decoupling, the right side
Creative inking Abilities • 37
of the brain couples components to understand the overall idea or object.
It also enables seeing the big picture, as opposed to getting buried in the
details, to enable seeing how components t together.
Suspending Judgment
Too oen the tendency is to make a judgment rst before even really under-
standing the problem or issue. Creativity initially requires the free ow of
ideas, for example, applying divergent thinking, and then down-selecting
ideas until one of them is truly innovative. When letting judgment rule in
the beginning, people think only within their assumptions. If they nd a
solution, it may not be creative or lasting. Suspending judgment precludes
limiting the number of ideas, and creativity is frequently a numbers game.
Creative individuals essentially hold little if anything sacred.Assumptions,
values, and so on are all subject to challenge, especially if they hope
to come up with a truly creative idea. As noted earlier, their tolerance
for ambiguity, being iconoclastic, and the ability to unlearn as well as
relearn helps, but does not eliminate the propensity to make premature
judgments.
Communicating
As Confucius says, a picture is worth a thousand words. Visual display
of data and information is preferred by right brain-dominant people.
A visual image allows them to see the big picture with all the compo-
nents working together. It is easier, for example, to see how the parts t
together, giving a person a holistic, or gestalt, perspective. A visual image
capitalizes on the power of synthesis and requires less eort and time to
communicate a large amount of information. It also enables seeing from
dierent perspectives.
e downside of visual display is that it can either confuse people more or
oversimplify understanding of how something works. It also does not sat-
isfy people who have other modes for processing information, for example,
auditory or kinesthetic. Also, important details may be overlooked, which
causes people to acquire an erroneous appreciation of the complexity.
Verbalizing requires using language to process data in a way that
involves decomposing and translating. e mechanical side of language
requires serial processing in the le brain. Individuals select certain parts
of a language, code and decode it, and translate it into literal meaning, that
38 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
is, detonative. Contrast that with understanding the emotional meaning
of the language done in the right side of the brain. Precision and detail,
albeit less important than the meaning, that is, connotative, is what typi-
es this side of the brain.
e downside, however, is that verbal learning is just one mode; other
modes include graphical learning. It also can lead to intellectual blind-
ness, which is screening important data or information simply because
something cannot be described verbally. It also requires considerable
eort and time to be verbal and leads to varying interpretation of elements
of the language.
TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGERS
ere are, of course, psychological tools that project managers can apply
to enhance managing the creative side of projects. What follows is a high-
level summary of the more prevalent models employed on projects. Some
of the following models address human behavior on a general level while
others are specically oriented toward creativity and innovation.
e models described below are by no means exhaustive. ey are simply
presented to encourage the reader to determine whether they are har-
nessing the strengths, and compensating for weaknesses, of the dierent
stylespeople exhibit on projects. By using one or more of the models,
creativity has a greater chance of success on projects. Before applying
these models on projects to further creativity, however, it is important to
state general insights.
First, most people do not t neatly in a category. e reality is that many
people have elements of each characteristic associated with a particular
personality.
Second, the typologies do not mean people act the same all the time.
Under stressful conditions, they may resort to a dierent style within a
particular typology.
ird, there will likely never be enough information to help you deter-
mine the appropriate category for an individual within a model. ere
are too many intangible aspects about human behavior to allow accurate
determination of a person’s personality type. Using the models more oen
than not requires making a best guess and looking for subtle clues about
that person.
Creative inking Abilities • 39
Finally, too many unknowns and so much variation exists about a
person that predictability of a person’s behavior under a designated cat-
egory makes accurate predictability impossible. e best hope is for a
decent probability or likelihood of success.
Birkman Model
e Birkman Model, once well-known but seemingly fading in the
background, is a model predicated on four psychological proles
represented by colors. is model looks at the relationships of two
continuums, direct and indirect, as well as task and people orientation.
Each style—Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow—has its own set of strengths
and weaknesses. Reds tend to be decisive, energetic, preferring to
focus on achieving results. Greens tend to be assertive, competitive,
and enthusiastic about change, seeking to inuence people. Yellows
are cautious, orderly, preferring structure, routine, and so on. Blues
are thoughtful, reective, preferring creative activities and interests.
According to Roger Birkman, the key is to reduce as much dissonance
between a person’s true self and socialized behavior. True style is
reected in a person’s tendency to lean toward one of the four colors,
or styles.
Birkman notes that each style has a preference when it comes to
interests, needs, styles, and stress. Project managers can capitalize on this
information when assigning people to develop deliverables for a project.
Using the strengths of a Red, Green, Yellow, or Blue, in other words,
depends on the needs of the project at the time. Hence, Reds prefer action
when implementing an idea. Blues and Greens may be best to generate
ideas. Yellows might be good at identifying the downsides of making a
change that everyone else embraces.
49
Hartman Color Code
e Color Code by Taylor Hartman is another psychological model that
project managers can tap to unleash the creativity of team members,
individually and as a group. Like the Birkman Model, the Color Code
identies four personalities. e Color Code assumes that everyone has a
core personality to direct their behavior. Each personality is based upon
three variables: motive, needs, and wants. e colors are Red, Blue, White,
and Yellow.
50
40 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
Reds seek power, need to be right and respected, and want to be
productive and adventurous. Blues seek intimacy, need to be appreciated
and accepted, and want autonomy and security. Whites seek peace, need
tolerance and respect, and want to be independent and contented. Yellows
seek fun, need to be noticed and praised, and want to be playful and free.
Again, like other creative typologies, few people completely t into one
category; rather, most people have some of the others to one degree or
another. Also, congruence with the personality and the work a person
does engenders greater passion; the work he or she does can only lead to
greater productivity.
In terms of creativity, Blues tend to be the creative ones, generating
ideas. Reds tend to be innovative, preferring creative ideas that add value
and produce results. Whites are also creative, and like Blues, are doers
but lack the intensity of Reds to make things happen. Yellows seek change
and innovation like Reds, but the avoid a confrontational approach. Reds
like to challenge and Yellows like the adventure that comes with being
creative.
Myers-Briggs
Myers-Briggs is another tool to help engender and employ the creativ-
ity of individuals. Predicated on the work of the famed psychologist Carl
Jung, Myers-Briggs oers an assessment for identifying sixteen patterns of
behavior regarding individuals’ personalities.
e assessment identies four pairs of temperaments that, when
combined, create the sixteen personalities. ese pairs of temperaments
are:
• Extraversion (E) versus Introversion (I): People who are extra-
verted are externally focused, being social and relationship oriented.
Introverts are internally focused and territorial.
• Sensation (S) versus Intuition (N): People who have a sensation
orientation emphasize experience and pride themselves on being
realistic. Intuitive people emphasize hunches, or gut feel, and pride
themselves on being imaginative.
• inking (T) versus Feeling (F): People who are thinkers strive
for objectivity and value laws and standards over intimacy.
Feeling people are subjective and emphasize intimacy and social
values.
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