To some degree, we’re all creative, and can all become better at what we do and how we do it. But think about a time you were in a group of people where you maybe felt like withdrawing and not speaking up because you felt intimidated that you might say the wrong thing. In fact, what you might have said, right or wrong, may have lead the discussion into a different direction; a direction that lead to an innovative result.

Often, it’s the people we’re with that can drive how we contribute to innovation. Perhaps there’s another situation you can recall, where everyone seemed quiet, and you were compelled to speak up and try to instigate input. Again, how we interact with others not only effects what we contribute, but how it causes others to provide input that helps move things forward.

This is the issue portrayed in Chris Grivas and Gerard Puccio’s recent book: The Innovative Team: Unleashing Creative Potential for Breakthrough Results. Written in a parable style, the book tells the story of a business team trying to deliver a project for a client. Through their journey, they break through their dysfunction by understanding the dynamics present within their team, outline a new and effective set of tools for enhanced performance, and deliver the project successfully, while also enabling themselves to work better in all capacities of their respective roles.

The Innovative Team is a personable and insightful read to help management, team leaders, or anyone interested in working better within groups of people to develop our own innovation skills, and assist in developing those skills in the teams we work in.