Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration
by Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman
(Addison-Wesley, 1997)

What do a Disney full-length cartoon, the Macintosh Computer, and the Bomb have in common?

They all were the result of the collaborative work of a great group. In Organizing Genius, Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman point out key characteristics of great groups that created new innovations that changed society.

Great groups believe they are on a mission from God to make a dent in the universe. Members of the group have a clear understanding of their roles and what they contribute to the group. All seem to start in dismal settings, whether it be in a garage or in an abandoned building. The leader brings talented people on board and often acts as a buffer between the creative people and the administration. The leader holds the vision for the group and challenges group members to stay on course. Great groups also have a common enemy: For Apple, it was IBM. For the Manhattan Project, it was Germany and Japan in World War II.

In reading through the book, I could not help but be reminded of a another great group that really did make a dent in the universe: Jesus and the disciples share many of the characteristics that Bennis and Biederman say identify great groups.

Beside giving much food for thought, Organizing Genius gives the reader a different way to understand how major shifts in a given field are made as people learn to work together to fulfill a powerful vision.

Craig Miler (cmiller@gbod.org) is the director of new congregational development for the General Board of Discipleship.

(originally posted January 1998)

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