Members of the Advisory Council of the College of Arts and Humanities where one of us works met one year to discuss creative fund-raising ideas to enhance the college’s endowment for student scholarships.
One council member mentioned a combination lecture/dinner fund-raiser a museum in New York City had initiated, which had become a highly successful event. Members began to talk about ways that event could be modified to work in their town. They decided to have faculty give presentations or performances based on their expertise, combined with a dinner at one of the council member’s homes. For instance, a film professor followed his lecture about a particular film director with a special showing of one of the director’s lesser-known films, followed by dinner. Another professor gave a brief piano concert followed by an elaborate dessert. These events, known as the A La Carte Series, succeeded. In addition, the events sold out quickly, sometimes the first day that tickets became available, and enough money was raised to support a college lecture series. This is an example of how a group can modify an existing idea to arrive at something unique. Before you read further in this chapter, address the following questions:
1. What communication behaviors and skills would group members have to demonstrate to encourage the kind of creativity demonstrated by the advisory council?
2. What member behaviors would interfere with this kind of creativity?

3. What group rules, norms, and procedures would support this type of creativity?
4. What group norms would interfere?