Creativity requires some conformity

study: the most innovative groups rely on conformists too several teams in the RSD and manufacturing departments of a defense contractor are rated by their need for radical innovation the members of each team are given personality surveys the most innovative teams had the following composition 20% to 30% 10% to 20% 50% mixed (no more than 10% detail oriented) creative conformist detail oriented creatives generate most of the ideas but conformists help support the creatives, improve confidence, and boost cooperation people are too concerned about can start conflicts and don't always follow the rules risks for creative work TrendingSideways com Source Ella Miron Spektor, Miriam Erez. Eitan Naveh, The Effect of Conformist and Attentive to Detail Members on Team nnovation: Reconciling the Innovation Paradox, Academy of Management Journal (2011). Vol 54, No 4. 740 to 760