It would be less than honest if we did not signal to our readers some of the guidelines, strategies, and general style that lie behind both our teaching of grounded theory methods to students and our consultations with research associates, colleagues, and others who seek advice on the conduct of their own research. Not everyone who is committed to this particular analytic approach would necessarily concur with what will be written below – for strategies and styles are linked with individual temperaments, personal predilections, and teaching/consulting contingencies. But readers will understand much better the contents of this book if they keep in mind that the teaching and consulting portrayed in it are informed by the points covered in this chapter.

Again, these are presented in the spirit of their being used as guidelines rather than rules. Please do not regard them as dogmatically held prescriptions for teaching and learning. We use these guidelines also in working with research partners and teammates. Presumably they could also help lone researchers working with – and teaching – themselves.

These are guidelines for teaching and consulting, where the aim is not merely to instruct in techniques (though that, too) or to solve technical problems. The aim is to help in enhancing and sometimes in unlocking the creativity of students and consultees. While research has, of course, its routines and its routine stretches of activity nevertheless, the best research – Can anyone seriously doubt it? – involves a creative process by creative minds. The issue here, then, is how to further it and them.