It should be noted that conceptual blocks limit a person from the point of view of his or her thinking process. They encourage individuals to look at the problem more narrowly and do not give them the opportunity to reveal their creative potential when searching for a solution. Apart from that, the more often people find themselves in the same atmosphere or system, the more difficult it is for them to start thinking broadly. The purpose of this paper is to analyze one of the difficult problems in my work setting to be able to determine the conceptual blocks in my mind that automatically appear when solving complex issues.
Personal Blocks
One of the problems I experienced in my work setting was linked to my inability to propose creative solutions to the leadership. In my previous workplace, one of my responsibilities was to find new clients and to solve this problem I utilized the same methods and means throughout the year due to the fact that they produced positive results. Nevertheless, the leadership required finding new ways to attract a wider audience, which involved the use of innovative methods. Since I was following the same path for a long time, it was difficult for me to offer creative solutions, and I decided to employ a familiar method in the success of which I was particularly confident. Nonetheless, I was not able to find any fundamentally new approaches that were asked of me, which indicates that one of my conceptual blocks is constancy.
In addition, another block that is directly related to the first one is commitment. Due to the fact that my duties have not changed for a long time and my regular decisions brought immediate results, I used to consider the issues in a stereotypical way (Whetten and Cameron 141). However, the problems that had to be solved were different in their nature; therefore, they required new solutions, and my previous positive experience did not stimulate me to seek a creative approach.
In addition, the lack of curiosity at that time did not allow me to use my potential to a greater degree. I was reluctant to seek additional information to improve the quality of decisions. In such a situation, discussions and constructive communication with colleagues would allow me to look at the setting from a different perspective and comprehend that there were alternative solutions (Levy Shankman et al. 149). Nevertheless, I refused to take a joint decision with my colleagues but chose to rely on the common way of solving the issue. Therefore, complacency is the third conceptual block that hinders my creativity.
Concluding Points
Thus, it can be concluded that in my thinking process there are three conceptual blocks that allow me to speculate analytically but interfere with my creative perception of the setting. These conceptual blocks are constancy, commitment, and complacency. They have an individual nature, and my main goal is to develop certain skills to overcome these obstacles. Importantly, these patterns work at the subconscious level and do not allow a person to perceive certain types of information, which is critical for management at any level (Levy Shankman et al. 149). Therefore, it is necessary to strive for thinking about new ways of formulating both problems and solutions and resolve these issues in many different ways.
Works Cited
Levy Shankman, Marcy, et al. Emotionally Intelligent Leadership for Students: Facilitation and Activity Guide. 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2015.
Whetten, David, and Kim Cameron. Developing Management Skills. 9th ed., Pearson, 2012.