Q-Tips
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Middle Q, which characterizes groups with members who know each other to varying degrees and have connections within the group, is described as the ideal environment for creativity and innovation. Research on Broadway musicals found that creative teams with a Middle Q score, indicating some familiarity but not too much, produced musicals that were 250% more likely to succeed both critically and financially. A Middle Q environment encourages new ideas and perspectives through lower barriers to communication and trust among members, while avoiding the ruts that come from overfamiliarity in High Q or disconnectedness in Low Q. The article recommends networking strategies to achieve Middle Q when problem-solving or planning projects and events to stimulate innovative thinking.
Q-Tips
- 1. 16 LEADERSHIP FOR STUDENT ACTIVITIES MARCH 2014 17 Find the right balance for collaboration and creativity. ryan findley is a true model for creativity because the mix of characters in Will Schuster’s choir room would likely be the most innovative students in any high school. Perfectly combining familiarity and diversity, the glee club of McKinley High School would be equipped to tackle more than musical mash-ups and dance routines; this group’s makeup would prepare them to effectively address issues like student wellness, student-administration relations, and college readiness. Thanks to a network-measuring instrument called Q, we can explore why Glee sets the bar for teenagers worldwide. Brian Uzzi, a professor at Northwestern University who has studied network dynamics, developed the concept of Q. Uzzi and Jarrett Spiro described the concept in the American Journal of Sociology. Charting Broadway musicals over 45 years in several key metrics (including critical success, financial success, and background of the creators), Uzzi and Spiro discovered that the most successful musicals, by critical and financial measures, were easily predicted by one measure: the familiarity of the creative collaborators (directors, producers, choreographers, etc.) with each other—or Q. Quantifying how much the creative teams had worked with each other, Uzzi and Spiro were able to predict that West Side Story, a show whose creators had a near-ideal Q, would be 250% more likely to be a success than a show whose creators had Q scores that were too high or too low. How can familiarity among a creative team make West Side Story so much more successful than other musicals? Uzzi and Spiro’s research proves that the most creative teams on Broadway are those that are not complete strangers (Low Q) or lifelong friends (High Q). Low Q is a designation for a group or team that does not know each other very well and the barriers to communication and teamwork are (or appear) very high. This is seen in new teams and groups, as well as big schools or big cities where people may feel alone in the midst of hundreds or thousands of other people. People seldom feel comfortable in these groups to share anything controversial or risky for fear of being ostracized. High Q is when all the members of a group or team know each other very well and the distance between them is very short. This may be seen in high-performing teams, but is also seen in families, secluded cliques, and small towns where members may be a little too acquainted with each other’s business. Creativity is hampered in these groups because members operate in well-worn grooves that hamper new lines of thinking. Middle Q is the category that most creative and innovative groups or teams fall into at the center of the Q spectrum. Middle Q is characterized by groups in which members know each other to different extents, but also have a variety of connections within the group. To illustrate, imagine that Middle Q looks like a soccer ball, with many connected hexagons and short paths between disconnected ones. Low Q looks like a basketball with pieces touching only at one or two points on the large ball. High Q could be represented by a golf ball with many dimples crammed close together in a small environment. So, Middle Q is most desirable from a creativity perspective, but it is not achieved simply by putting the football team, cheerleaders, the choir, and a group of nerds in the same room and hoping for magic. In fact, this combination likely would not generate any creativity, unless a football player was also in the choir and choir singer dated a cheerleader, and they were friends with a math genius who helped hone the voice of a talented dancer—all of which has taken place on Glee. Uzzi argues that Middle Q is the ideal creative environment for a couple of reasons. First, people know each other well enough to actually have in-built group norms (e.g., students know each other’s names and talents), but not too well to put each other into boxes (e.g., “she’s not good at organizing, so don’t let her try”). Middle Q teams have lower associative barriers, which is a well- documented lubricant of creative processes, coupled with the trust within the group to believe that everyone belongs. Finally Middle Q is instrumental to problem solving because it combines varied perspectives with a shared desire to solve the problem, facilitating greater buy in from all. Using Q If Middle Q is the best environment to generate creativity and innovation, the concept can drive both your approach and your students’ approach to networking, problem solving, and even event planning. When at a conference or social gathering, challenge yourself and your students to talk with people different from yourself. Although we are all drawn to those most like us, they are not likely to push our thinking if they share our politics, hobbies, and experiences. Encourage students to do this by creating speed dating-like environments in which they engage with diverse ranges of students. Even in short Middle Q is characterized by groups in which members know each other to different extents, but also have a variety of connections within the group.
- 2. 18 LEADERSHIP FOR STUDENT ACTIVITIES bursts, these activities can push a group’s thinking in new directions. Do a quick analysis of your working teams. How homogenous and comfortable are they? The more alike and more comfortable they are, the less likely they are to challenge the status quo or be inventive. A helpful technique is the fishbowl. Give the problem at hand to another group and sit around them quietly as they discuss the issue. By observing how other people think through an issue, you may find new ways to approach an issue and bright new minds to join your efforts. When tackling problems, do your best to get the opinions of those you know might be divergent from your own. Although it can be infuriating to work with people you know you don’t agree with, it is also helpful in reaching new levels of creativity. In West Side Story, choreographers and composers argued about the ability to find great singers who were also great dancers. The result was one of the most groundbreaking routines of the era in one of the best musicals ever. Involve different types of students in your initiatives, as they will approach it from different angles than you and your students might be accustomed to. In my own student council experience, we reached new heights of event diversity and creativity, as well as student involvement, when we involved more fringe students in our event planning. If your school events or community projects have grown stale, consider bringing in fresher, but trusted, eyes to help you retool. Allow them to question the sacred cows and promise to wait 24 hours before saying no to any idea. Oftentimes, we’ve become so blind to our own problems that we assume any solution beside our own is misguided. Give those divergent ideas a chance to percolate and prove their merit. Q represents a tricky balance to strike for all leaders. Although we may prefer the family- like feel of high-performing teams, they can constrain us in some ways and typically don’t foster groundbreaking innovations. To stay on the forefront of creativity, strive for mixed groups that feel a bit uncomfortable and a bit random. Ryan Findley is a senior faculty member of entrepreneurial leadership at the African Leadership Academy in Honeydew, South Africa. Reference Uzzi, B., & Spiro, J. (2005). Collaboration and creativity: the small world problem. American Journal of Sociol- ogy, 111(2), 447–504. Go to www.peap-aca.org or call 877-897-4784. The American Citizenship Award Recogniz The American Citizenship Award pins are available for only $1.50 each. Order now to have them on hand for recognition ceremonies in your school. RECOGNIZE HONOR INSPIRE Honor Your Students Exclusively for K–12 students and awarded by principals, teachers, and other school personnel.