University of Michigan economist Scott Page found that diverse teams are more successful at answering complex questions than are homogenous groups or individuals, even if the homogenous groups and individuals are more talented. His conclusion, however, shouldn’t be all that surprising. Charles Darwin discovered that evolution progressed fastest wherever small groups of a species isolated from the main population adapted to stressful conditions. By the same token, small, independent and interdisciplinary teams are critical to future organizations, especially at the edges.
