Toward a theory of rapid creativity in teams

Abstract

Team creativity presents an interesting dilemma. On one hand, organizational teams are increasingly being asked to produce creative outcomes rapidly and within tight timelines. On the other hand, teams need sufficient time to explore different perspectives, play with ideas, and overcome the process losses that occur from working in interdependent groups. In this chapter, we address this dilemma by developing a model for understanding how teams can maximize the speed of the team creative process. We propose that teams' potential for rapid creativity is a function of aligning the team structure and standardization of the creative process with the team development cycle. When these three elements are aligned, teams are more likely to generate creative outcomes in a rapid manner.

Citation

DeRue, D.S. and Rosso, B.D. (2009), "Toward a theory of rapid creativity in teams", Mannix, E.A., Goncalo, J.A. and Neale, M.A. (Ed.) Creativity in Groups (Research on Managing Groups and Teams, Vol. 12), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 195-228. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1534-0856(2009)0000012011