The idea that group thinking is the best way to create is rampant. Companies are designed around the concept that ten minds are better than one. Employee schedules are filled with frequent team meetings and activities. Open office plans have proliferated. Somehow, creative work has become a group activity.
This is unfortunate, not just for introverts, but for everyone. Group work is actually the enemy of creativity. Instead of fostering great ideas, it inhibits them.
When it comes to creative work, the rest of the world can learn a thing or two from introverts. Our love of solitude helps us to unlock creative treasures. While group work encourages conformity, solitude breeds unique thought. Without the distraction of other (often louder) people, the mind offers up its best ideas. Free from the judging eyes of the group, it can wonder and make connections.
As humans, our natural inclination is to procrastinate or avoid creative work. It’s difficult to focus your mind and energy on something as illusive as an idea under construction. Instead, we find ways to distract ourselves. If we are smart, we trick ourselves into thinking we are being productive as we procrastinate.
Just like surfing the net or snacking on a full stomach, group brainstorming is more of a distraction than a productive activity. It offers the illusion of creative connectivity, but really only produces social connectivity. As Apple co-creator, Steve Wozniak put it,
“I don’t believe anything really revolutionary has ever been invented by committee… I’m going to give you some advice that might be hard to take. That advice is: Work alone… Not on a committee. Not on a team.” –Steve Wozniak
Instead of tearing down walls and cramming employees into countless meetings, companies should give people space to create. Before even considering groupthink, individuals should learn to think on their own.
Most of all, it’s time for society to acknowledge what introverts have known all along; great ideas – like great people – develop away from the crowd.
I really love all the images on your blogs! Wonderful quotes!
Thanks, Simi! 🙂
So true, Michaela! I’ve decided to take my creativity, my writing, and work on it more. I don’t care if it’s successful ir not, it’s what I love to do. Thanks for your ebcouraging blog.
From your email – “I feel less lonely when I write. If you’ve ever entered the sacred space of creativity yourself, you’ll know that there is a fullness there. Communion with creativity is like curling up on the couch with a beloved animal friend. You feel her warmth and presence, even though you don’t speak the same language.”
Really needed that today. Thank you.
I wish it were easier to just be creative in the business world. It takes a sort of balance to protect ones intellectual property from those who value profits over product. I also like the pictures. And I had a question: what do you do when you more of a made introvert than a born introvert?
Michaela I have to agree with you here that most of what I create is a solo activity as is my working style, just as it is yours. I do hate distractions such as the TV or loud people when I’m trying to think, it just annoys the crap out of me, lol
In my experience though some group discussions are needed especially if I’m refining an idea. I think the introvert model for group creativity would be one where it is turn based, with each introvert providing either an expansion of the original idea or accepting it as good enough to work and passing to another until the group either accepts or rejects the idea as it is. If it’s accepted then great it’s implemented, however sometimes ideas may need to be more thought out and may require input from others. Just like if you are exploring an idea, I’d be open to hearing more about it as you make progress on the idea and see what develops, I never reject an idea that has any element of success, because it might just be the million dollar idea you create, so seeing as how I wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity, I may ask you to give it more thought, because I can see the potential in the idea and know that it just might work, the main thing is you’re thinking and trying and I like that, no matter how many mistakes you think you make each is just in my mind life experience and valuable not just to me but more so to you because it helps you grow. I’m a natural problem solver and as such sometimes I need an INFP to collaborate with me to solve a problem, sometimes if I’m alone though I will come up with a creative solution.
I think this is how I operate being that I tend to focus on improvement in all areas, learning, and growth as well.
Part of my personality preference is to extrovert my thoughts, what’s mindful about those thoughts is that they were created alone after much observation from afar and expressed outwardly after much intuitive introspection of combing through tens of thousands of files in my head and seeing everything that relates to the original idea and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking and or asking questions before I speak or write usually and especially if the subject is complex.
One point I want to make in my experience is that inter-dependence is best for maximum impact in a broad change area such as the economy or changing the world as a whole, it may start as an independent thought or idea however it does require more than one person to bring those ideas to fruition, this is evidenced by social media or even this blog. So if I understand you correctly, you are conveying that ideas or work done alone are the best ways to create anything and I would agree, however I wouldn’t agree that doing things solo is the most effective way to implement ideas. I for one am very independent and self sufficient and I really do not need people in my life however when it comes to making an impact on this world I do want people on board with my crazy ideas, because I know they work, I’ve tested them not just in my head, but in real life and discussed them with others before launching them. Paint me a perfectionist, I think I’m more interested in quality versus quantity of creative ideas, so I would agree that brain storming creates quantity, versus quality and as such this is more in line with what you are proposing here, considering that you too prefer quality versus quantity from what I’ve come to know of your values.
I like your style of doing things and even if I see the pattern of how you are going to do it, it still has that gratifying “WOW!!” factor to it because it’s often better than just some plain pattern because it has that unique “YOU” personal stamp on what you create, and it’s a still lot of fun for me, mainly because I have a lot of faith in you and believe in what you create and hope you continue to be your creative self. I always enjoyed you the most when you were up to something, and I don’t get bored when you are making creative mischief. 😉 Keep up the good work!! 🙂