Course 15 A-1 Theory

Front 1

creating a new performance system for enlisted personnel

Back 1

Problem A

Front 2

getting the team to work toward the common objective of creating a new enlisted performance system.

Back 2

Problem B

Front 3

Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI)

Back 3

Preferred Cognitive (Thinking) Approach

Front 4

A-I Theory Emphasizes What Three Key Issues?

Back 4

1. When we problem solve we are limited by the way we are built

2. All of us are intelligent and creative, at different levels and with different styles, and therefore, all of us are capable of learning to contribute to team problem solving, as long as there is both motive and opportunity.Problem A: This is an ‘actual problem’ that two of more individuals come together to solve.Problem B: This encompasses all of the problems (team dynamics, interpersonal skills, communication, collaboration, etc.) that stem from ‘human interactions’ and it steals time and energy from efforts needed to solve Problem A.

3. Leaders interact with people to solve a myriad of problems every day and to be truly successful at solving both problem A and problem B, leaders must be able to effectively manage the diversity that stems from people whose A-I preference ranges from highly adaptive to the highly innovative and every point in between.

Front 5

is founded on the assumption that all people solve problems and are creative, and that both are outcomes of the same brain function.

Back 5

The Adaption-Innovation Theory

Front 6

Adaptors exhibit the following tendencies

Back 6

- Prefer more structure and more of it consensually agreed. - Improve or extend the paradigm in order to solve problems. - Use rules to solve problems. - Bring order out of turbulence. - Revitalize current systems for tomorrow.- Work within the system to bring about new improvement, ideas, and greater efficiencies. - Value themselves for being: -- Improvers -- Resource Effective -- Supportive -- Consistent -- Methodical -- Masters of Structure -- Sound -- Prudent Risk-takers

Front 7

Innovators exhibit the following tendencies:

Back 7

- Prefer less structure and can tolerate less of it consensually agreed - Challenge or break the paradigm in order to solve problems. - May break the rules to solve problems. - Catalyze the necessary turbulence. - Help create break from worn-out systems. - Work outside the system to bring about different ideas and different structures for the high Adaptors- Value themselves for being -- Full of Ideas -- Provocative -- Assumption Challengers -- Accepting of Change -- Intuitive -- Mold Breakers -- Shocking -- Daring Risk-takers

Front 8

What are the two forms of Cognitive gap?

Back 8

1. the distance between one’s preferred style and the behavior actually needed in a particular situation

2. the distance in a social interaction, between the preferred styles of 1) two people, 2) a person and a group, or 3) two groups

Front 9

What is the only thing Adaptation-Innovation theory is concerned with?

Back 9

Style

Front 10

What is the difference between style and level?

Back 10

Level refers to potential capacity (intelligence or talent) and learned levels (such as management, supervisory and leadership competency). Style: refers to “how we think,” our preferred cognitive approach to problem solving, and decision making.

Front 11

What is a more precise term for adaptors?

Back 11

More Adaptive

Front 12

What is a more precise term for innovators?

Back 12

More innovative

Front 13

What are some of the tendencies adaptors exhibit concerning “structure”?

Back 13

Prefer more structure and more of it consensually agreed

Front 14

What are some of the tendencies innovators exhibit concerning “structure”?

Back 14

Prefer less structure and can tolerate less of it consensually agreed

Front 15

What are some of the tendencies adaptors exhibit concerning “the paradigm”?

Back 15

Improve or extend the paradigm in order to solve problems

Front 16

What is bridging?

Back 16

Bridging is reaching out to people in the team and helping them to be part of it so that they may contribute even if their contribution is outside mainstream.

Front 17

Basic Principle of A-I Theory

Back 17

All of us are intelligent and creative, at different levels and with different styles

Front 18

Problem B

Back 18

problems that stem from human interactions

Front 19

Cognitive Gap #1

Back 19

distance between one’s preferred style and the behavior actually needed in a situation

Front 20

Problem A

Back 20

problem that two of more individuals come together to solve.

Front 21

More Adaptive or Innovative

Back 21

precise terms use to describe the A-I Continuum

Front 22

Cognitive Gap #2

Back 22

distance in a social interaction between preferred styles