the new groupthink

Hey all fellow quiet ones, take solace in this stuff:



There seems to be an interesting conversation cropping up all over the world wide web about the relationship between creativity and solitude. I remember being at Scout one day and I was talking with Charley and Angeline (the two brains / designers behind Scout) about how they were planning on restructuring their space so as to facilitate more group conversation and to allow for a more open, collaborative atmosphere. Charley had recently read an article in the New York Times (read it - it's good!) and was rethinking this a little bit. It turns out that a lot of people are their most creative and productive when they are given time and space alone. The group dynamics that are so popular in today's thinking about creative problem solving ("groupthink", the excessive use of the word "collaboration") may have some negative aspects that we didn't think about.

A group situation can very easily distort and transform an individual's thinking. In groups we often find ourselves mirroring the strongest, most magnetic personalities. A lot of other fears come along with group environments, like the fear of distraction and the fear of social judgement. Charley said that although an open space is important, its also important for there to be little enclaves where people can retreat to. Now that I think about it, a little enclave where I could just put my head down and really WORK sounds very nice.

 As Susan Cain explains in her talk, This is not to say that team work and the serendipitous exchange of ideas that occurs in open environments should be abolished. It is only to say working environments also need to accommodate those who are more introverted by creating more private spaces as well. After all, the accommodation of introverts is in a company's best interest. Psychologists have found that most creative breakthroughs have occurred in solitude, when one person has had the head space and focus to combine disparate ideas into a new, innovative whole.

 interesting stuff, no?