Human friction sparks creativity!

[The Invisible Man]

How many times have you been told "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Well it turns out staying positive and getting along with others may actually stifle creativity.

This article published in The New Yorker says “There’s this Pollyannaish notion that the most important thing to do when working together is stay positive and get along, to not hurt anyone’s feelings,” she says. “Well, that’s just wrong. Maybe debate is going to be less pleasant, but it will always be more productive. True creativity requires some trade-offs.”

Criticism allows people to dig below the surface of the imagination and come up with collective ideas that aren’t predictable.

The fatal misconception behind brainstorming is that there is a particular script we should all follow in group interactions. The lesson of Building 20 is that when the composition of the group is right—enough people with different perspectives running into one another in unpredictable ways—the group dynamic will take care of itself. All these errant discussions add up. In fact, they may even be the most essential part of the creative process. Although such conversations will occasionally be unpleasant—not everyone is always in the mood for small talk or criticism—that doesn’t mean that they can be avoided. The most creative spaces are those which hurl us together. It is the human friction that makes the sparks.

[pen]

I'd still rather hear, "I respectfully disagree. For this reason . . . " than "Oh for crissakes kiss my ass you turd!"

People take personal insults personally.

It's where you aim those sparks that determines the kind of fire you ignite. A beacon's a lot better than a stake. Just sayin'.