When you’re making anything, you need to know when it’s time to think divergently and when it’s time to converge on the best ideas.
A mismatch in perceptions could ruin an otherwise good team dynamic. If one person thinks it’s time to put their crazy hat on, and another thinks it’s time to focus, there’s going to be conflict. There needs to be a process check where the group gets aligned on which hat they should wear.
It can be as simple as “let’s suspend judgement and come up with wild ideas for the next five minutes.” As long as everyone knows how to behave, you’re on a path toward better collaboration.
The last thing you want are the wild ideas coming out when everyone else is focusing on one idea. That’s a recipe for conflict.
It’s crucial to diverge and converge, as long as you do them together. Next time you’re with a group, do a process check so everyone knows what hat to wear.