Creativity of Company and Creativity of Manager: how to Measure Them?

To determine the creativity level of a particular manager, both test results and company's characteristic features and activity should be considered. Main point is that managers' creativity and company's creativity are interrelated and interdependent. Once all company's features are reviewed, one can determine the way managers' creative capabilities are applied, and work out measures to increase their creative level. At present, diagnostics of managers' creative level, besides measuring their intellectual level, should be also based on broad application of psycho gnostic research by testing employees. In both cases - by measuring intellectual abilities and by determining psychological features - testing method is used. According to Ilyin (2009), "creativity diagnostics includes tests of Guilford, Torrens, verbal and cogitative creativity test (RAT, by Mednik)". Test methods specified are widely known and can truly give answers to many questions that characterize the creative level of a manager analyzed. At the same time, test methods are criticized and discussed: to which extent the test results reflect the reality? Application of test methods is surely important and should be an integral part of the company staff diagnostics. At the same time, testing gives no answer to the question of manager's and staff creativity, and test results show the potential level of manager's intellect and creativity, rather than the creativity level. That is, the test provides character and intellectual features of a manager, and potential capabilities of this manager for further development. After reviewing the test results, we can say how manager's creative abilities are applied at the moment, and what is his/her creative level, accordingly. The same conclusion will automatically extend to staff and a company as a whole. Manager's creativity level affects two upper levels the same way as the company's creativity level affects the creativity level of staff and of a particular manager. To determine the manager's creativity level, besides test result with the creative potential revealed, one should consider the set of features of the company and its activity. In our opinion, they can fairly include the following: creative level of company's management, i.e. to which extent it applies nonstandard, original solution in its practical activity; managing style used (authoritarian, democratic, liberal); extent of delegation of powers in a company; if there is any support system and bonus system for talented employees; if there is any complex hierarchy in staff; If the management system has anything preventing from application of creativity, any high creative potential among personnel will not be useful, and the managers' creativity level will be low accordingly. Thus, only after reviewing all factors of company's activity, one can roughly estimate the managers' creativity level, including top management. Meanwhile, with such a true description of the current situation, one should work out the set of measures to increase the company's creativity level based on manager's creative potential revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]