How friction can spark creativity at work

Friction with others can mean conflict. It can also be a dynamic that helps spark ideas, in which new thoughts and approaches bloom, solutions are found, and loopholes are closed. But most of us try to avoid friction—especially in the workplace. We tend to gravitate towards situations and people that look agreeable, rather than stand out with a possible alternate thought or view that could lead to friction, and thus, conflict. Yet disagreement over ideas “is where creativity shines,” says Roni Reiter-Palmon, psychologist and professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and director of its Center for Collaboration Science. We may believe acquiescing helps move a project along, with everybody agreeing and nodding their head in shared approval. But disagreeing over what to do and how to do something can actually crack that door open to more innovative solutions, Reiter-Palmon says. Highlighting obstacles doesn’t mean an idea is dead. Instead, it’s an opportunity to look at a situation from another angle without having to spill into relational conflict. “It’s that conversation when we integrate and think about different perspectives and pieces that helps creativity,” Reiter-Palmo…