Analyzing team-building practices: integration of theoretical and practical aspects of creative thinking facilitation by leaders

Abstract

This study examines the role of team-building practices as a structured system for enhancing creative thinking within teams through leadership facilitation. It integrates theoretical and empirical perspectives to demonstrate that team-building generates essential collaborative assets, such as trust, shared understanding, and coordination, which contribute to creativity only when activated through psychological safety and effective communication behaviors. The research identifies key limitations in current practices, including fragmentation of approaches, insufficient operationalization of leadership micro-actions, and challenges posed by hybrid work environments. To address these gaps, the article proposes an integrative model explaining the transformation of team-building inputs into creative outcomes. Additionally, it introduces the C-TEAM protocol as a practical tool that embeds facilitation of creative thinking into everyday team interactions. The findings highlight the critical role of leaders in managing divergent and convergent thinking processes, reducing interpersonal risks, and improving idea synthesis. The study contributes both theoretically and practically by offering a structured approach to sustaining creativity in modern hybrid teams.