Creative Thinking: Better Solo Than in Teams July 8, 2007
Posted by sharynheili in Creativity, Teams.trackback
Recent research from the University of Indiana demonstrated that groups or teams came up with far less creative ideas together than when alone. The University studied consumer choice involving a brand of soft drinks. They asked individuals to come up with alternative brands after showing them one brand. Alone the inidviduals came up with far more choices than when in a group.
Do meetings make us dumber, as the headline to the MSNBC suggests, or does our creative thinking really diminish when we are in team meetings? Are we less effective trying to solve problems “thinking outside the box” in groups than alone?
More research will likely give us the answers. It will be interesting to watch, especially since businesses and libraries have been forming teams and touting their effectiveness.
I know that my best creative thinking comes while I’m driving in the car alone or in the shower, obviously very alone.
Sharyn Heili
ohh…no doubt.. its obviously depends on the meeting…
honestly.. its same here… when in the shower… and when im bored from someone’s speeches… always smth poppes into my mind…
http://mehmetcihangir.blogspot.com
yah I do think thaht too
[...] it may be a good thing that painting is a “lonely profession” since there’s a study out there saying how we are far more creative in individual settings, than in groups. I agree that [...]
one name = Ken Robinson.
The cartoon is excellent. I have used it in my presentation. I agree that creative thinking is a solo thinking but it’s not easy.
My relatives all the time say that I am wasting my time
here at net, except I know I am getting experience daily by reading such pleasant articles.