A groundbreaking study reveals that while teams with a variety of skills and viewpoints generate innovative ideas, they frequently encounter challenges in developing practical solutions. This presents crucial considerations for managers and businesses globally.
In contrast to the popular notion that diverse teams inherently boost creativity, recent research from a collaborative effort among the University of Waterloo, Xiamen University, and Texas Tech University indicates this is not always true.
This study stands out as the first within the accounting discipline to use neuroimaging techniques to analyze team creativity. It demonstrates that although teams composed of members with varied skills and perspectives contribute fresh and unique ideas, they often struggle to formulate feasible solutions—prompting essential inquiries for managers and enterprises around the world.
In an experimental setup, pairs of team members with distinct expertise—engineers and accountants—were challenged to devise creative uses for an underutilized university area. The findings revealed that teams with diverse skills generated more innovative suggestions, yet these ideas tended to be less practical compared to those from teams with uniform expertise.
“Our findings challenge the prevailing assumption that teams with varied skills invariably enhance creativity,” remarked Adam Presslee, a professor at the School of Accounting and Finance at Waterloo. “While groups with different backgrounds often produce more original ideas, they encounter difficulties when attempting to transform those ideas into feasible, actionable solutions.”
The research, conducted by Drs. Presslee, Yasheng Chen, and Sue Yang, utilized advanced brain imaging technology known as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to observe participants’ brain responses during collaborative efforts. This innovative method provided insights into why teams with diverse skills and perspectives produce varying outcomes in creativity.
The experiment included 40 pairs of participants, each equipped with an fNIRS cap to monitor their brain activity synchronization. The results showed that when team members’ brain activities were more aligned in specific regions, it significantly impacted either the uniqueness or usefulness of their ideas.
The study contributes two key insights that challenge the notion that diverse skill sets enhance creativity and efficiency. Firstly, while varied expertise may promote the uniqueness of ideas, it simultaneously diminishes their practicality—creating a challenging balancing act for managers. Thus, having diverse skills within a team can be a double-edged sword regarding its influence on creativity.
Secondly, through neuroimaging, the research demonstrated that teams with varied skills activate different brain regions linked to divergent and convergent thinking.
This study should resonate strongly with businesses, particularly among managers who recognize that applying functional diversity requires a tailored approach.
“For organizations to maximize their team’s potential, they must carefully consider the type of creative output they’re aiming for,” Presslee explained. “Diverse expertise is beneficial for generating innovative and unconventional ideas. However, when timely and practical ideas are needed, a more cohesive and uniform team might be preferable.”
