When we think of famed inventor Thomas Edison, we often think of a solitary figure with the imaginative powers to see things others didn’t.
After all, Edison is considered by many to be the most prolific inventor of all time. Within a 30-year timespan, he invented the incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, the alkaline battery, and motion pictures with sound.
History books credit him with those inventions, but the real story behind his creativity lies in the power of a highly collaborative and diverse set of teams who enjoyed laughing together.
First and foremost, Edison was a superlative team leader. In fact, everything Edison invented was the result of a team and the collaborative process that he harnessed. If it weren’t for the many incredible inventions connected to him, Edison may well have gone down in history as one of the best team leaders of all time instead.
Once Edison had the germ of an idea, his first move was to create a team of collaborators to flesh it out and bring it to fruition. In many cases, the final invention bore little resemblance to the idea he first conjured up.
He did what other great team leaders have since learned to do. He brought a target idea to the table and let the collaborative spirit of a talented and diverse team use it as a springboard to create a new and better idea.
Edison believed many minds working together could generate better ideas and solutions than could any single individual.
For Edison, the minds brought together to work on a problem or idea needed to operate from a diverse set of perspectives, backgrounds, and viewpoints.
On many of his teams, he forged a bond between skilled scientists, engineers, chemists, and inventors. He believed that the synergies between very different orientations and approaches fostered the most creativity.
Edison also believed that everyone on a great team needed to be on equal footing. He consistently tried to minimize his status and fame so as to create a peer-like dialogue on his teams and within his laboratories.
To accomplish this, he was well-known for being a prankster. Edison loved springing practical jokes and engaging in playful antics with his colleagues. Better yet, he enjoyed being the butt of a good laugh and willingly accepted the jokes others played on him.
Great teams enjoy a playful quality and a peer-like conversation. Superb team leaders are often both the instigators and the recipients of good-humored escapades.
When everyone on the team sees themselves on the same level as the team leader, they feel more comfortable in taking risks, speaking their minds, and accepting criticism. Edison knew that.
Contemporary team leaders could stand to take a page out of Thomas Edison’s playbook. Teams that laugh together create together. How much fun is it to be on your team?
