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| The Creative Power of Collaboration |
Group Genius: The Creative Power of Collaboration
Creativity is a collaborative process. Some of history’s most brilliant ideas have been created by groups of people coming together to share their perspectives and knowledge. Collaboration unlocks the potential for something greater than any individual alone could create. Culture has its own version of group genius, which we call “Group Genius.” It is the creative power that emerges when a group of diverse individuals comes together with the intention of collaborating and creating something new.
The combination of different minds, experiences, and perspectives unlocks something more interesting than any single person can offer alone. Together, we can dive deeper into the meaning behind culture and what it means for us today as citizens of this world. By uniting our voices through collaboration, we strengthen our influence in this turbulent time for humanity and make it count for something meaningful and good.
Culture Is Shifting Right Now
We are in a pivotal moment in history. As a species, we’re faced with important questions about our future — how we will treat one another, how we will create and sustain a healthy and just society, and how we will protect and care for the natural world that sustains us. These questions have many possible answers, but only one will ultimately win out. Culture drives the conversation and decides which answers prevail.
It is the system of values, ideas, beliefs, and behaviors that determines what “wins.” Culture is the invisible force that shapes our lives and the lives of others around the world. Culture can lift us up, or it can hold us back. It can encourage us to do more and be more, or it can hold us back by making it harder to create change for the better. There are two sides to every coin, and culture is no different. It can be a source of strength and inspiration, or it can be a source of division and fear.
Collaboration Is a Form of Creativity
Collaboration is a form of creativity — it’s the act of bringing together different ideas and perspectives to create something new. In his TED talk, musician and artist The Dalai Lama calls us to build a compassionate society by taking on the challenge of “creating a more compassionate culture.” He reminds us that the essential element we must bring to this task is creativity. The Dalai Lama explains that creativity is “the ability to generate, to fashion something new and worthwhile, whether it is a work of art or a new machine or a new way of dealing with human beings.” He also points out that “the creative process is something that is within each one of us.” We each have the ability to create a more compassionate culture — we just have to tap into our creative power.
The Diverse Mind Is a Creative Mind
There is a growing body of research that explores creativity and its relationship to diversity. One such study surveyed 267 scientists from a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, physics, chemistry, biology, and sociology. The researchers asked the scientists to grade their own level of creativity and then to assess the level of diversity in their field. The results, as reported by Maria Popova at Brain Pickings: “Across all disciplines, scientists who perceived their field as more diverse also rated their own creativity higher.” In other words, the more diverse a group of people is, the more creative they get.
That’s because the diverse mind is a creative mind. It has the ability to look at things from different perspectives and see things in new ways. It is the very nature of diversity to bring new ideas, new approaches, and new solutions. When we work together across different disciplines, cultures, and experiences, we have access to a more creative and dynamic approach to problem-solving.
Collaboration Creates Trust and Safety
Collaboration creates a sense of trust and safety within the group. It is through this trust and safety that creativity can really thrive. As the members of the group come together, they can share their knowledge, insights, and ideas without fear of judgment or criticism. They can experiment and try out new approaches without concerns about the impact on their reputation. Without this safety and trust, collaboration would be impossible. It is much easier to experiment and create something new when you don’t have to worry that someone is going to criticize or judge you for your ideas. Collaboration creates a sense of safety and trust within the group.
Collaboration Is Key For Culture Change
When we want to create change, collaboration is key. When we want to make something new, or shift the culture in a new direction, we have to invite others to join us. We have to go out and find the people who can add something to the conversation and invite them to come forward. It is only through collaboration that we have the power to bring about large-scale change. The only way to bring about change on a large scale is through collaboration.
We have to bring together large groups of people to create something new — something that no single person can do alone — and then have them work together to bring this idea to life. What if the only person who had a solution to end poverty was the next president of the United States? What if the only person who could make real change to stop climate change was the CEO of an energy company? What if the only person with the solution to end racism was the next leader of the free world?
Conclusion
Collaboration unlocks the potential for something greater than any individual alone could create. The more people who come together to work on a problem or idea, the more perspectives and ideas they have to draw on — creating something better and more dynamic. It is important that we understand the nature of collaboration and the creative power that is unlocked when we come together to work on something new.
When we understand collaboration, we can tap into this creative power and use it to create change — for ourselves, for each other, and for the world around us. Collaboration is a creative process that is necessary to bring about large-scale change in any situation. It creates a safe and trusting environment in which new ideas can be shared and explored. Collaboration unlocks the potential for something greater than any individual alone could create — and it is key for culture change.