Creativity Tips: Let's Talk Team

Yesterday, Richard asked, "What do you look for in a creative team?" It's a great question. I look for people who:

• Know things I don't -- whether it's sports, plumbing, or the structure of a sestina. Their perspectives prompt ideas/questions/possibilities I would never develop on my own. (A great example of this is my creative instigator buddy Mike Brown*. He and I have different areas of expertise, and we think very differently. We're a great team.)
  
  
• Don't know anything about the topic at hand -- they won't worry about coming up with a foolish idea.
  
  
• Don't need to be the center of attention -- because we're talking team.
  
  
• Challenge me to do better, and applaud when I do -- because it's my team, gosh darn it, and I do need to be the center of attention. (No, seriously -- don't you think most of us rise to a challenge, and thrive on praise?)
  
  
• Aren't in creative fields -- people who think creativity resides in a job title miss out on brilliant input from the receptionist, the accountant and the cleaning crew.
  
  
• Are 7 years old or younger -- when they're all still artists and dancers and writers and athletes and everything is possible.
  
  
• Laugh a lot -- because it's easier to be creative when you're having fun.
  
  Creative teams are dynamic -- and there's plenty of room for multiple teams. For example, I have one group I turn to for writing advice. A different group for decorating questions. And there are a few saints offering creative approaches to bring sanity to my personal life.
  
  I also consider everyone who reads this blog part of my creative team. You inspire me to write, five times a week. You ask questions that make me think. You send me links that make me laugh. Thank you! I hope you have some idea of how very much you mean to me.
  
  * Check out this post Mike did back in 2007 -- an oldie but a goodie on creative teams.