Motivation on the Run

What a difference a decade makes in the way people work. Didn’t we proclaim the benefits of brainstorming in small groups as the way to gather a lot of great ideas? “Come on everyone, gather around this whiteboard and let’s get ready to have some fun!” was the mantra of managers everywhere, and now we find out that it ain’t so.

Chron.com | Teamwork can stifle innovation, study says:

NEW YORK - Emphasizing teamwork may be popular in workplaces across America, but a new study says companies that focus more on individual achievement produce more innovative ideas. The findings may support the view that creative companies need to encourage differences rather than build teamwork, which leads to conformity, said Barry Staw, professor at the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and co-author of the study. “The more you emphasize collectivity and team membership and orientation, the lower is the creativity,” Staw said. “So much of creativity is being different, being willing to deviate and take chances and be the odd person out.” U.S. workplaces have moved toward teamwork and away from individualism for decades, originally having borrowed techniques from Japanese business models, experts say.

Here’s a link to the complete study (PDF)

Technorati : brainstorming, creativity, leadership, productivity