Collaboration ignites creative breakthroughs—but it’s a delicate balance. When done well, it transforms good ideas into extraordinary ones; when done poorly, it can derail even the boldest visions.

The idea of the “lone genius” is a romantic notion—a solitary figure conjuring brilliance in isolation. But as I explore what I like to call the “lone genius fallacy,” this is rarely how great creativity works – at least not in the business realm. Behind every commercial masterpiece, there’s a network of collaborators shaping, refining, and elevating the idea from spark to reality.

I’ve experienced this firsthand throughout my career. I’ve written thousands of TV and radio commercials, countless print ads, and campaigns for various media. Even when the idea itself was strong, it needed teams of art directors, strategists, producers, editors and actors to turn vision into reality. Creativity in advertising is inherently collaborative, demanding persistence and an openness to others’ contributions.

Or consider the time I wrote a song for a theatrical production at the National Theater in Havana. I had the words and melody, and I could strum it on my guitar. But that was only the beginning. It took a composer to score it for a 23-piece orchestra, a conductor to lead the musicians, vocalists to bring it to life, sound engineers to record it, and a director to orchestrate its place in the show. Without collaboration, my idea would have stayed just that—an idea, never realized on stage or magnetic media.

The lone genius myth dismisses the reality: creativity thrives on collaboration. Whether you’re crafting a song, building a brand, or solving a complex problem, success often depends on the people who take your spark and help it burn brightly.

The lone genius fallacy persists because it simplifies creativity into a neat story of individual triumph—a single person with a brilliant idea bringing it to life on their own. But if we look closely, even the most celebrated “geniuses” had collaborators who turned their visions into realities.

We should never confuse the one who takes the credit with the result. Steve Jobs is often seen as the driving force behind Apple, but his genius was just as much about recognizing and synthesizing the talents of others. Wozniak’s technical brilliance laid the groundwork for Apple’s early products, while Jony Ive’s innovative designs defined the company’s aesthetic. Jobs had the vision, but the results came from a collaborative team effort.

While McCartney and Lennon were the primary songwriters in The Beatles, their work wasn’t created in isolation. They used each other—and the rest of the band—as foils to refine their ideas. Even when writing independently, they relied on the group’s dynamic and the musical guidance of producer George Martin to transform their songs into cultural landmarks. The Beatles’ genius wasn’t singular; it was collective.

Global sportswear giant Nike was born out of collaboration between Phil Knight, a young entrepreneur, and Bill Bowerman, a university track coach. Bowerman’s ingenuity with waffle-iron soles transformed Nike’s shoes into performance-enhancing innovations, proving that the sum of their efforts was far greater than their individual contributions.

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series captivated millions, but her manuscripts went through extensive edits. Her literary agents and editors helped hone the storylines, characters, and pacing, demonstrating how collaboration was key to shaping a cultural phenomenon.

Collaboration: The Catalyst for Creativity

Collaboration is like writing a symphony—you may compose the melody, but without musicians to play it, a conductor to lead them, and an audience to hear it, it remains incomplete. The right collaborators don’t just execute your vision; they challenge it, refine it, and push it further.

Zaha Hadid’s bold, futuristic designs reshaped architecture, but she didn’t work alone. Engineers translated her ambitious curves into structural realities, while urban planners ensured her work fit into the environments she wished to transform.

Akira Kurosawa’s legendary films, like Seven Samurai, are often attributed to his directorial genius. Yet he consistently worked with trusted collaborators—cinematographers, writers, and actors—who added layers of depth and polish to his vision.

How the Right Team Elevates Ideas

The best collaborations create a culture where ideas can grow without fear. Constructive dissent and diverse perspectives are essential.

In the early 2000s, LEGO was struggling. It was through collaborative efforts—designers, marketers, and even film producers—that they revitalized the brand. The LEGO Movie wasn’t just a marketing stunt; it was a result of blending creative and commercial minds to make LEGO relevant for a new generation.

Dove’s groundbreaking Real Beauty campaign wasn’t the brainchild of one marketer. It emerged from a team of researchers, psychologists, and creatives who challenged conventional beauty standards. Their collaboration resonated globally and redefined the brand’s identity.

When Collaboration Fails

Not all collaboration is good collaboration. The wrong dynamics—too many decision-makers, ego clashes, or lack of clear vision—can derail even the best ideas. The wrong collaborators can just as easily turn gold into straw. I’ve seen campaigns derail because conflicting visions within a team watered down bold concepts. A strong creative leader must ensure collaboration sharpens rather than dilutes.

The creative landscape is littered with epic failures born from poor collaboration. And in extreme cases, poor collaboration can have devastating consequences. Some of the most notorious flops are cautionary tales of what happens when collaboration breaks down.

Coca-Cola’s decision in 1985 to replace its classic formula with New Coke is a textbook example of collaboration gone wrong. The marketing and product development teams focused solely on blind taste tests, overlooking input from brand strategists who warned that consumers had a deep emotional attachment to the original formula. When New Coke launched, the backlash was immediate and ferocious, forcing Coca-Cola to reinstate the original recipe as Coca-Cola Classic within months. This failure underscores how poorly aligned teams with differing priorities can lead to misjudgments that alienate even loyal customers.

Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was plagued by collaboration issues from start to finish. Visionary director Julie Taymor clashed with the producers and U2’s Bono and The Edge, who composed the music, over the show’s tone and narrative. Meanwhile, technical teams struggled to execute dangerous stunts and ambitious stage designs without proper coordination or safety protocols, leading to multiple injuries. Disagreements among the creative team and a lack of unified leadership turned this promising production into one of the most expensive Broadway failures in history.

The ill-fated movie adaptation of Cats became an infamous example of collaboration gone awry. Director Tom Hooper demanded significant changes late into post-production, putting undue pressure on the visual effects (VFX) team, who had already been struggling with the film’s complex digital fur technology. The rushed and incomplete CGI alienated audiences and critics alike, making Cats one of the most high-profile box-office flops of the decade. This case illustrates how unreasonable demands and lack of coordination between departments can doom even a star-studded project.

Samsung’s launch of its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, suffered from major design flaws that were exposed within days of its release. The engineering team flagged durability concerns, including fragile screens and malfunctioning hinges, but the marketing team pushed ahead for an early launch to beat competitors to market. When tech reviewers uncovered the device’s flaws, Samsung was forced to issue a product recall and delay the launch. This failure demonstrates how ignoring technical feedback in favor of marketing ambitions can damage a brand’s credibility.

The Fyre Festival promised luxury accommodations, gourmet meals, and A-list entertainment on a private island in the Bahamas. Its marketing campaign, featuring supermodels and influencers, painted a picture of exclusivity and opulence. Behind the scenes, however, poor collaboration between the marketing team and logistics coordinators led to a catastrophic failure. Attendees arrived to find disaster relief tents instead of luxury villas, cold sandwiches instead of gourmet meals, and no organized events. This event became a global laughingstock, and a cautionary tale of how slick marketing cannot compensate for chaotic execution.

The Batgirl film, a nearly completed project with a $90 million budget, was abruptly shelved by Warner Bros. executives. Conflicting visions between the directors, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, and studio leadership resulted in a project that failed to meet expectations. Executives were reportedly dissatisfied with the tone and quality of the film, but these concerns were not addressed early enough in production to course-correct. This example shows how misaligned collaboration between creatives and decision-makers can lead to wasted resources and abandoned projects.

The OceanGate Titan submersible tragedy highlights the dire consequences of ignoring collaborative input. OceanGate’s founder dismissed warnings from industry experts about the safety of the submersible’s carbon fiber hull, opting to bypass regulatory oversight in favor of internal decision-making. During a deep-sea expedition to the Titanic wreck, the Titan tragically imploded, killing all five aboard. This disaster underscores how poor collaboration and disregard for external expertise can lead to catastrophic outcomes, not just failed ventures.

These examples illustrate that collaboration isn’t just a feel-good concept; it’s a fundamental requirement for success. When collaboration falters—whether due to ego, poor communication, or conflicting goals—the results can range from public embarrassment to devastating loss. Strong leadership, clear communication, and aligned priorities are the cornerstones of effective collaboration, ensuring that bold ideas are sharpened, not diluted.

Tips for Fostering Collaborative Creativity

Collaboration is a skill—and like any skill, it can be cultivated. Here’s how to build teams that bring out the best in ideas:

1. Separate the Spark from the Execution:
   Remember, the core idea is just the beginning. Teams exist to elevate, not diminish it. Treat your collaborators as essential partners, not executors.
2. Embrace Constructive Dissent:
   Pixar, the famed animation studio has created a Brain Trust that encourages candid feedback in a safe environment. Ideas aren’t criticized; they’re improved. This approach fosters better outcomes without stifling creativity.
3. Diversity is Key:
   Teams with varied perspectives are more likely to find innovative solutions.
   For example, El Bulli, the iconic Spanish restaurant helmed by Ferran Adrià, became a global pioneer in molecular gastronomy by integrating chefs, chemists, and designers to create boundary-pushing dishes.
4. Streamline Decision-Making:
   Too many cooks can spoil the broth. Define clear roles and ensure there’s a leader to maintain the vision. For example, the delayed launch of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner highlighted the pitfalls of poor collaboration, as too many external suppliers led to miscommunication and delays.
5. Celebrate the Process:
   Collaboration isn’t about getting it right the first time—it’s about refinement. Recognize and value each step of the journey. The making of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical, involved countless workshops where actors, directors, and musicians helped refine songs and scenes, transforming it into a cultural phenomenon.

Final Thoughts

The myth of the lone genius does a disservice to creativity and innovation. Whether you’re writing a song, designing a building, or crafting an ad campaign, collaboration is what turns sparks into flames. But collaboration must be intentional, with the right people, in the right roles, and with the right balance of creative freedom and constructive feedback.

In the end, it’s not about you or me—it’s about what we can create together. Because even the most brilliant idea needs others to make it sing.