Real creativity is a social activity
Stumble It!Creative innovation needs social networks not just neural networks
We often have in our head the stereotype of the brilliant but solitary artist or writer who cannot, or will not, work with anyone else but is this the whole story on creativity and innovation?
Sure there are those who fit this mould but New Scientist’s special issue on creativity (29 October 2005) quotes Professor Vera John-Steiner author of Creative Collaboration that to be really creative:
“you need strong social networks and trusting relationships…and at least one other person in your life who doesn’t think you are completely nuts”
This brought my attention back to the article How is your personal ecosystem and the excellent example of how Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, carefully cultivated his own personal ecosystem of relationships each of whom had different roles in the overall creative process.
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Bioteams Books Reviews
When collaboration goes bad
Poor organisational intelligence leads to 'coblaboration' instead of collaboration.Harvard Professor, David Perkins, in his latest book, "King Arthur's Round Table : How Collaborative Conversations Create Smart Organizations", discusses the importance of "organisational Intelligence" and "developmental leadership" and how the absence of these leads to coblaboration rather than collaboration in organisational teams.
Buy it now from:
Amazon.Com
Amazon.Co.UK
Related Social Networking Articles
Social Network Design tips
In ‘How to build your network’, by Brian Uzzi and Shannon Dunlap, Harvard Business Review December 2005, the authors argue that strong personal networks don’t just happen but need careful cultivation involving ‘relatively high-stakes activities’ with diverse groups of people.
Social Networks Conference videos now live for NLab
The NLab Social Networks Conference took place in the summer at De Montfort University (in Leicester, UK) featuring a number of speakers including Steve Clayton (Microsoft), Roland Harwood (NESTA), Andrea Saveri (IFTF), Jim Benson, David Asch and myself (Ken Thompson). The conference videos are now available online.
A Social Network Development Model
Way back in the social networking Dark Ages, OK - October 2005, I published a "A Virtual Community Development Model" with sports metaphors for each stage. Looking back today I think some of it still applies to the development of those social networks driven primarily by shared interests/knowledge (rather than by relationship building). But see what you think?
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