Squeaky Wheels. We often
talk about the importance of having a diverse network, one that includes
people who think differently than you, challenge your ideas or engage
you in debate. And though we may find these relationships uncomfortable
at times, research by Charlan Nemeth at the University of California
shows that this slight discomfort actually makes us more creative. When
teams were asked to solve a problem by brainstorming--where a safe
environment was created and no idea was criticized--the debaters (who
challenged each other) came up with twenty percent more ideas then the
brainstormers. And, when individual team members were later asked for
more ideas, the brainstormers produced an average of three ideas, the
debaters produced seven. According to Nemeth, "debate and criticism do
not inhibit ideas but, rather stimulate them." Best advice: don't
remove the squeaky wheels from you network, instead embrace them.
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