We tend to think that the longer a team is together, the better it will perform. But research into the inner workings of teams, particularly creative ones, suggests that the best teams might be temporary. Short-lived teams form around a given project, collaborate, disband, and repeat – and to get things done quickly, need to be made up of a diverse pool of talent. This encourages innovation, as individuals on the team are exposed to a broad set of business challenges and can cross-pollinate ideas from different industries, life experiences, and cultural perspectives. To put this insight into practice, try shaking up your organization’s same-old team divisions to collaborate on a new short-term project, looking beyond job titles and business units. You may well find that more experienced colleagues bring knowledge of the process while greener members bring fresh ideas that enhance creativity. “Why The Best Teams Might Be Temporary,” by David Burkus.
