Embracing the Counterintuitive Side of Collaboration
Think of your to-do list at work. Chances are the most important tasks
require you to work with others--and the success of those endeavors
depends on the effectiveness of your collaboration.
According to management expert Leigh Thompson, collaboration that is
conscious, planned, and focused on generating new ideas builds
excitement and produces what she calls a "creative conspiracy." Teams
that conspire to organize themselves, motivate one another, and combine
their talents to meet creative challenges are the hallmark of the most
successful organizations.
In this book, Thompson reveals the keys to the kind of collaboration
that allows teams to reach their full creative potential and maximize
their results. She also reveals a host of surprising findings; for
example:
- Left to their own devices, teams are less creative than individuals
- Providing "rules" to teams actually increases inventiveness
- Striving for quality results in less creativity than striving for
quantity
- Fluctuating membership enhances a team's innovation
- Most leaders cannot articulate the four basic rules of brainstorming
Thompson combines broad-ranging research with real-life examples to
offer strategies and practices designed to help teams and their leaders
capitalize on what actually works when it comes to creative
collaboration. Creative Conspiracy challenges managers to adopt an
unconventional approach to leading teams that, done right, will lead to
the creative success of every team--and every organization.
