单选题
· For each question (13-18), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.
{{B}}SHEER GENIUS - OR A WASTE OF TIME?{{/B}}
{{I}}Encourage your original thinkers and live with their strange habits, says Alan Worthin{{/I}}
If one of your research staff announced that he had worked out a way to propel a vehicle on a cushion of air, would you tell him to concentrate on something practical, or suggest taking it further? If a member of your development team asked if she could come in late because she had her best ideas at 3 am would you insist that she is in the office at 9 am like everyone else?
Current business wisdom is that companies need creative, innovative people to beat competitors. The reality is that companies have always needed new ideas to survive and progress, but in the past they weren't particularly good at encouraging the people who produced them.
Original thinkers don't always fit easily into the framework of an organisation. However, the advice from managing director, John Serrano is, 'Get rid of the dull people and encourage the unusual ones'. Essentially, he believes that companies need to learn how to manage their original thinkers in order to ensure that the business profits from their contribution. He also says, 'Original thinkers often find it difficult to drive change within the organisation, so they resign, feeling angry and disappointed. It is essential to avoid this.'
'You can't recognise original thinkers by the way they look,' says Ian Freeman. 'An apparently ordinary exterior can conceal a very creative thinker.' His consultancy, IBT Personnel, has devised a structured way to identify original thinkers. 'We define employees as champions, free-wheelers, bystanders and weak links, and most original thinkers come into the category of free-wheelers. They may miss deadlines if they become involved in something more interesting. They are passionate and highly motivated but have little or no understanding of business directions and systems.'
Headhunter George Solomon also thinks original thinkers have their disadvantages. 'They may have a bad influence within an organisation, especially given the current management trend for working in teams. The original thinkers them- selves may be unaware of any problem, but having them around can be disruptive to colleagues, who have to be allowed to point out when they are being driven crazy by the original thinkers' behaviour.' Yet, in his opinion, the 'dream team' in any creative organisation consists of a balanced mixture of original thinkers and more practical, realistic people.
So, having identified your original thinkers, how do you handle them? One well-known computer games company has a very inventive approach. 'We encourage our games designers by creating an informal working environment,' says director Lorna Marsh. 'A company cannot punish risk- takers ff it wants to encourage creativity. Management has to provide support, coaching and advice-and take the risk that new ideas may not work. Our people have flexible working hours and often make no clear distinction between their jobs and their home lives.'
Original thinkers may fit into the culture of 21st century organisations, but more traditional organisations may have to change their approach. Business psychologist Jean Row believes that the first step is to check that original thinkers are worth the effort. 'Are the benefits they bring worth the confusion they cause? If so, give them what they want, allow plenty of space, but set clear limits. Give them extremely demanding targets. If they fall to meet them, then the game is up. But if they succeed, your organisation stands only to gain.'

单选题 It is important for a company to encourage original thinkers because

A. this allows it to promote innovative products.
B. this enables it to stay ahead of its rivals.
C. they are very flexible about their working hours.
D. their talents are ideally suited to the market.

单选题 John Serrano thinks that original thinkers should be

A. helped to develop better people management skills.
B. asked to manage change within the organisation.
C. supported so they can perform well for the company.
D. encouraged to follow company procedures.

单选题 What does lan Freeman say about original thinkers?

A. They are unenthusiastic and poorly motivated.
B. Their work standards are impossibly high.
C. Their abilities are hard to recognise.
D. They lack awareness of commercial processes.

单选题 What problems can be observed when there are original thinkers in the workforce?

A. They may have a negative effect on other workers,
B. They dislike the concept of teamwork.
C. They rush tasks through to completion.
D. They cannot work with less creative colleagues.

单选题 In what way is the games company's approach to original thinkers special?

A. It allows them to work from home whenever they wish.
B. It uses different forms of disciplinary action for them.
C. It promotes a relaxed atmosphere in the workplace.
D. It encourages them to reduce the risks that they take.

单选题 A traditional organisation wishing to employ original thinkers needs to

A. provide them with projects they are interested in.
B. assess whether their contribution makes up for any problems.
C. have a flexible approach if goals are not always achieved.
D. be prepared to handle any negative feedback from colleagues.