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The creative power of multidisciplinary teams

Do you tend to stick with ‘your kind’ in the workplace?

Birds of a feather flock together. This is often true both of avian creatures and of working professionals. We tend to stick with our own kind, preferring to work and fraternise with colleagues we relate easiest to, within our own profession, department or even our own specialisation. This is understandable and is explained by neuroscience which shows how unfamiliar territory can trigger fear and uncertainty.

Yet working with people from different disciplines is where the creative gold lies... in mingling with, learning from and being open to dissimilar and unfamiliar perspectives.

A non-lawyer wins Europe’s Most Innovative Legal Practitioner Award

Every year the Financial Times index features ten individuals for Europe Innovative Lawyers Awards. I was interested to see that this year, in the latest European report, the winning individual is Marion Palmer from Hogan Lovells. What intrigued me about Palmer is that she is that she is neither a partner nor even a lawyer at the firm. She is a scientist. Yes, a scientist has won Europe’s FT Most Innovative Legal Practitioner Award for 2024. Her role has been to enable her legal colleagues to give specialist legal advice and build compelling arguments in litigation cases. “The law is not just about lawyers. Actually, to create innovative solutions for clients you need multidisciplinary teams. There are lots of other professionals who enhance the legal profession.” Reena SenGupta, Executive Directo, RSGI, Research Partner for FT Innovative Lawyers. 

Inspiration from the 1800s: How Florence Nightingale used multidisciplinary collaboration to revolutionise nursing

When it comes to creative innovation, multidisciplinary teams are not a new concept. In the 1850s, Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing used creative thinking and multidisciplinary approaches to revolutionise healthcare.

I have a tenuous link to the legend that is Florence Nightingale. My daughter was born in the hospital where she worked, St Thomas’ London, and the midwife who her birthed her was called Florence. I have long admired this courageous woman but have been inspired to learn that she was more than simply a caring and dedicated person, willing to walk around hospitals at night with a lamp.

Nightingale’s work involved drawing on expertise from various disciplines to solve complex healthcare problems, for example:

• Statistics and data analysis: Nightingale was a pioneer in using data to support her findings. She gathered statistical evidence to show that improving hygiene reduced mortality rates. She worked closely with mathematicians like William Farr to develop statistical charts, such as the polar area diagram (often referred to as a "coxcomb"), to visually represent data on the causes of mortality. This data-driven approach was groundbreaking in the medical field.
• Engineering and sanitation: She collaborated with engineers to design better hospital layouts and improve sanitation systems. She applied principles of public health and civil engineering to redesign hospitals and create healthier environments. This included better ventilation systems, improved sewage disposal, and the provision of clean water.
• Government and military: This courageous nurse worked with government officials and military leaders to implement her reforms in the field hospitals during the Crimean War. Her ability to communicate across disciplines was key to getting support for her ideas and ensuring their implementation. 

What you can try this week

In his book, Rebel Ideas, Matthew Syed explains that diverse thinking is essential for solving complex problems, generating innovation, and avoiding groupthink.

1. Harness diverse perspectives

Cognitive diversity goes beyond demographic traits like race or gender. What matters most in complex problem-solving is cognitive diversity; the range of different ways in which people think, process information, and approach challenges. In complex environments, no single person or homogeneous group can have all the answers. Syed argues that collaboration among people who think differently increases the chances of discovering novel ideas and solving intricate problems. This requires openness to hearing and valuing diverse perspectives, even when they challenge the status quo.

Who could you engage with to help solve a big issue you are facing? Could you reach out to someone from another department, another country, another industry, another discipline?

2. Avoid groupthink

Syed illustrates how homogenous teams (where everyone thinks in similar ways) can fall into groupthink, where critical viewpoints are ignored or not even considered. This can result in poor decision-making, as teams fail to challenge assumptions or consider alternative approaches. This is where we all become a team of clones.

To avoid groupthink, evaluate ideas objectively based on merit, rather than going for ideas that the extroverts in the room seem to support. Organise spaces for independent thought and make time for individual evaluation and input.

3. Promote creative abrasion

False harmony is a creativity killer. To unlock the full potential of diverse teams, it is essential to create environments where dissent and debate are encouraged. Teams must welcome challenges to ideas and assumptions, as these can lead to deeper insights and more robust decision-making. I heard of a company where the CEO would actively encourage the executive team to go out and find a dissenting view when there was none to be found in the board room.

Encourage debate by having someone play the devil's advocate, which can help the group look at a problem from different angles. Celebrate productive dissent and reward critical thinking.

In conclusion

Working with other people can be a pain in the neck. Synchronising times to debrief with one another, walking them through the objectives, working through differences of opinions … these all take time and effort. Often it feels easier just to do the work on your own.

Though keeping to yourself may feel easier, working in isolation can limit the creativity and effectiveness of your output.

When working with your toughest challenges this week, think not only about how to solve them, but who. Who can help you? Who can you collaborate with?

Who has a perspective on this problem or opportunity that will be different from yours?

Then go and collaborate. 

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