Introduction

Modern innovation teams hold a pivotal position in the development of organizations striving to create competitive advantages through the adoption of novel ideas. These teams are formed to tackle complex and unconventional projects, demanding high levels of creativity, adaptability to change, and effective collaboration in uncertain conditions. However, the unique nature of such teams often leads to emotional strain, conflicts, and decreased motivation, which negatively impact their performance and outcomes.

Psychological counseling has emerged as a vital tool for addressing these problems. It helps strengthen internal communication, increase resilience to stress, and unlock the creative potential of team members. The variety of methods and approaches in counseling offers opportunities to address both individual and collective challenges, making it especially relevant for innovative teams. The goal of this study is to analyze the role of psychological counseling in enhancing the creativity and productivity of innovation teams. The relevance lies in the growing importance of teamwork in innovation processes and the pressing need to develop and implement practical solutions for improving employees’ emotional well-being and overall effectiveness.

Main part. Theoretical foundations of psychological counseling and its impact on innovation teams

Innovation teams are groups of professionals who have been brought together in view of attaining special goals in the creation and implementation of innovations. Such groups work in an atmosphere of great uncertainty; this demands special approaches to the inner process and the well-being of team members.

Among the means of maintaining psychological health and enhancing motivation in developing creativity and efficiency is psychological counseling. It is a professional activity where a mental health professional helps the individual or group to overcome problems that the latter faces in personal, professional, or inter-personal development. Counseling Psychology has its base on various theoretical concepts derived from the psychological sciences. Examples are personality, motivational, emotional intelligence, stability, and cognitive process theories.

Another foundational basis within the counsel institution is that of emotional intelligence, as developed by Daniel Goleman. The ability to handle one’s own emotions and to interact well with other people is added. Development in emotional intelligence is quite vital to be more relevant to innovation teams where communicational and collaborative effort is a key point. It relies on cognitive-behavioral theory, which helps team members recognize and change destructive beliefs and behavioral patterns.

A 2022 study found that the cognitive characteristics of innovation teams are positively associated with their collaborative innovation performance [1]. The research demonstrated that with the support of an internal innovation environment and the presence of a positive emotional climate, teams experience improved communication, trust, and a sense of belonging, all of which contribute to increased productivity. This approach can be particularly useful in removing barriers to creativity, such as fear of failure or negative perceptions about the team’s potential. The key tasks of psychological counseling in innovative teams can involve various aspect (table 1).

Table 1

Main tasks of psychological counseling [2, 3]

Psychological counseling has a significant impact on team functioning, contributing to their overall effectiveness. One of its key effects is the improvement of interpersonal communication. Psychological support helps to resolve misunderstandings, prevent conflicts, and create conditions for smoother collaboration [4].

Another important effect is the enhancement of emotional resilience. Innovation teams often face risks and failures, which can demotivate their members. Counseling helps teams view failures as opportunities for growth and learning rather than as project-ending events. Finally, counseling positively influences the overall team climate. It fosters an atmosphere conducive to innovation, where members feel safe to express their ideas, even if they challenge conventional perspectives.

Methods and approaches to counseling innovation teams

Innovation teams, working under conditions of high uncertainty, have some specific challenges: an intense rhythm of work, an opportunity to solve complicated problems, and to get ambitious results at limited resources. In this context, psychological counseling is a necessary tool of support that contributes to improving the emotional condition of participants, and to increasing their general efficiency. The main categories under which methods and approaches of counseling innovation teams fall into are as follows: individual, group, technology-supported, and systemic.

Among the individual methods, coaching stands out as a personalized approach aimed at developing the professional and personal skills of team members. Coaching helps to identify goals, uncover barriers, and find effective solutions. It can be instrumental in setting SMART goals, fostering leadership qualities, and boosting self-confidence.  Another individual method is psychological support, which focuses on managing the emotional and cognitive states of individual team members. Such support aids in addressing personal fears, managing stress, and preventing emotional burnout. While options such as counseling, mental health apps, and stress-reduction resources are offered, they remain underutilized, suggesting a shift in preferences towards direct, restorative approaches like time away from work. According to 2023 statistics [5], younger employees increasingly prioritize vacation time and paid time off as their primary means of managing stress and maintaining emotional well-being (fig. 1).

Figure 1. Respondents worldwide who were offered mental health resources and support at work in 2023, %

Group counseling methods include training sessions, mindfulness practices, and role-playing activities. Group training enhances interaction among team members, fosters teamwork skills, and facilitates conflict resolution. It also helps build trust and teaches the application of creative thinking techniques, such as brainstorming and design thinking. Mindfulness practices, rooted in awareness and meditation techniques, help reduce stress levels and improve focus. These practices enable team members to manage anxiety, which is particularly important when tackling complex tasks. Role-playing and simulations provide opportunities to model real work situations, such as client negotiations or conflict resolution within the team, followed by an analysis of participants’ actions.

Modern technologies open new opportunities for counseling. The use of online platforms enables remote consultations, facilitates the organization of training modules, and allows for the monitoring of emotional well-being. Gamification of the counseling process makes it more engaging and motivating, for instance, by incorporating quizzes or challenges designed to improve teamwork.

A systemic approach to counseling innovation teams involves assessing and diagnosing the current state of the group. Psychological diagnostics help identify problem areas and determine measures to address them. Various tools, such as questionnaires, surveys, and tests for creativity and team cohesion, are employed for this purpose. One effective methodology is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which analyzes personality types and predicts their interaction within a group. Long-term support for innovation teams includes regular group sessions integrated into project management processes, ensuring a balance between emotional well-being and professional efficiency at all stages of project implementation [6].

The methods and approaches to counseling innovation teams are diverse and adaptable to their unique needs. These tools contribute to creating a supportive environment for fostering creativity, enhancing productivity, and building a cohesive team capable of effectively addressing challenges of any complexity. Particular attention should be given to integrating modern technologies and considering the individual characteristics of team members to maximize the effectiveness of counseling.

Practical outcomes and evaluation of the effectiveness of psychological counseling and strategies

The effectiveness of psychological counseling in innovation teams is assessed through theoretical concepts and the implementation of methods and through tangible results observed in the team’s performance dynamics. The practical application of counseling involves identifying measurable changes in productivity, creativity, and the psychological climate within teams. Moreover, successful case studies and analytical tools enable a systematic evaluation of how counseling influences the achievement of organizational goals.

An example of a successful strategy fostering creativity and innovation in teams is Google’s 20% Time approach. Employees are encouraged to dedicate a portion of their working hours to projects unrelated to their core responsibilities but with long-term potential for the company. As Google emphasizes, the exact time allocation is determined individually by employees and their managers. This strategy has led to the creation of revolutionary products like AdSense and Gmail. AdSense founder Paul Buchheit notes that the true value of this initiative lies not in the time itself but in the freedom, it provides to work on ideas that might initially seem «unimportant» [7]. This license to experiment generates unique solutions and can strengthen employee motivation and engagement.

Additionally, in studies conducted by Google on 120 of their innovation teams, a practice was introduced where team members began each meeting by sharing stories about the risks they had taken in the previous week. This small methodological adjustment increased the teams’ psychological safety ratings by 6% [8].

Another example is EY’s «Better You» program, a corporate initiative aimed at supporting employees’ emotional well-being. Under this program, employees of Ernst & Young and their family members can access up to 25 counseling sessions [9]. The program also includes mindfulness training and meditation sessions, helping participants manage stress and maintain high levels of creativity. These measures improve emotional health and productivity, creating an environment where innovation teams can effectively tackle complex challenges and generate unique business solutions.

Practical psychological counseling to the innovation teams works very effectively, especially when a team is under a high level of tension and has to make a decision against conventional thinking. It facilitates the teams in becoming more productive, resilient, and creative, which is documented in several cases of success.

Conclusion

Psychological counseling plays a major role in creating a supportive and stimulating environment for innovation teams. It enhances interpersonal communication, reduces stress levels, boosts creativity, and fosters sustainable interaction mechanisms essential for achieving ambitious goals. The variety of methods, including individual and group approaches, the use of modern technologies, and systemic diagnostics, allows counseling to be tailored to the unique needs of teams operating in conditions of high uncertainty. Implementing such practices helps organizations increase the productivity of their teams and also strengthen their emotional well-being, which is a main factor in the successful execution of innovative projects and long-term growth.