book.chapter Harnessing collective creativity

Attributing innovation to a single individual is a convenient narrative, but in truth, most significant advancements are the culmination of many people's ideas and efforts. When individuals collaborate, pooling their talents and thoughts, they can generate highly creative solutions. Allowing a group to improvise, with a clear goal but flexible methods, often leads to the emergence of exceptionally creative strategies that are eventually adopted. The potential of group collaboration is vast and largely untapped. The key is to find effective ways to direct this creative energy towards productive ends. A prime example of the power of collaboration is the wright brothers' achievement on december 17, 1903. Orville wright's 12-second flight in north carolina, which covered a distance of about 100 feet from the takeoff point, marked a significant milestone. The wrights, orville and wilbur, succeeded where other well-funded scientists had failed in the international race to build the first airplane. While their success is often portrayed as a solitary breakthrough, it was actually the result of collaborative effort. Seven traits of creative teams Innovation within collaborative teams is characterized by seven distinct traits. The innovation process is gradual and involves numerous minor adjustments, making it difficult to credit a single individual. Team members balance listening and sharing, allowing the group to focus on selecting the best ideas rather than defending personal contributions. There's a freedom to build upon others' ideas, enhancing and adding to them without ownership restrictions. Judgement is often suspended, as the value of ideas may only become clear in hindsight, requiring contributions without full understanding of the outcome. Unexpected questions arise as teams redefine problems or discover new ones, indicating a dynamic approach to innovation. The process is inherently inefficient, with time spent on dead ends and fruitless ideas. Innovations typically emerge from bottom-up efforts as teams self-organize to tackle pressing issues, without direct leadership but through mutual interests. Improvisation is closely linked to innovation; when individuals improvise, they tend to create unique and creative solutions. Spontaneous teams, not those formed by management, often generate the best ideas. A company's ability to improvise correlates with its innovation quality. Athletes experience a "flow" state, enhancing performance as everything seems to slow down. Similarly, groups can achieve "group flow" during focused discussions, leading to highly creative ideas. This state is conducive to the creativity that underpins group genius, and when achieved, can result in remarkable innovations. Ten prerequisites for creative flow To stimulate innovation and encourage group flow in the workplace, it's essential to create an environment that meets several conditions. A clear, shared goal that everyone understands and is focused on achieving is the starting point. Members must be willing to listen to each other's ideas and build upon them, which requires a readiness to listen and a genuine merging of egos. The group should maintain total focus without external distractions or pressure, fostering a low-pressure environment conducive to creativity. Autonomy is key, as members should feel they have control to pursue ideas based on their merits. Equal participation is important, with all members having similar skill levels to avoid boredom or frustration. Familiarity with each other's work styles and contributions enhances group flow, as does constant, open-ended communication. Progress is essential, with the group motivated to move the conversation forward and not get stuck on the same issues. Recognizing the potential for failure is also crucial; a healthy acceptance of early failures can lead to breakthrough creativity. Balancing tensions between convention and novelty, structure and improvisation, and individual voices versus group cohesion is necessary for group flow. Large corporations often struggle with fostering group flow, which is why many seeking this experience join startups or work independently. As the business environment becomes more competitive, companies will increasingly rely on improvised innovation. Collaboration is vital, as it brings new concepts and encourages creative thinking. However, not all collaboration is effective; it must be the right kind of group and match the task at hand. Research shows that structured improvisation, rather than techniques like brainstorming, can lead to creative collaboration and innovation in the workplace.