Software Firm Learns the Rules Of Disengagement

This is only somewhat related to the article, but I rather dislike this trend about putting people in treehouses or what have you to make them think and do creative things.

First of all, it's insulting to intelligent people. "Here, go into this treehouse, put on the funny hat and start brainstorming. "

Second, it doesn't give justice to the art of being creative. Companies don't put people into rooms filled with balancesheets and numbers and expect them to be able to do accounting. Being creative is a skill you hone over many years. And it's not an easy skill either. Good creatives have vast general knowledge, are good listeners, good at crossbreeding ideas, good at visualising and great at thinking an idea through to the end to find the weak spots.

Interestingly I know quite a few people that are extremely good at coming up with ideas and being creative and they all absolutely hate being put in a room with people who have no idea and told to be "creative" and to "brainstorm". It's like putting the company accountant in a room with secretaries and marketing people and telling them to do the annual report. The accountant would run away screaming and the annual report would be flawed like hell.