Creativity in Teams
Title
Creativity in Teams
Author
Thompson, Leigh L.
Wilson, Elizabeth Ruth
Research Area
The Individual and Society
Topic
Small Groups
Abstract
Organizations want to be more creative, but improving creativity remains an elusive process. We examine the study of creativity in teams and groups beginning with the intuitive assertion that teams are more creative than individuals and review decades of research that suggest otherwise: Individuals are actually more creative than their groups. We then focus on the key cognitive and social factors that thwart team creativity, such as conformity pressure, and highlight techniques for improving the creative performance of groups, such as brainwriting (rather than brainstorming), quantity goals (versus quality goals), and rotating (rather than stable) membership. We conclude with paradoxical tactics for and consequences of improving creativity.