Earlier this week I wrote a post about AMillionPenguins.com, the experiment to create a wiki-novel through 'crowd-sourcing'. While the project may not produce the world's next literary treasure, the power of collective creativity cannot be dismissed.
Great Groups are creative collaborators that come together for a brief time to create something special says one of the best books ever written about creative collaboration. The classic "Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration", written by Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman studies "Great Groups" throughout history. One such group is The Manhattan Project, which formed to develop an atomic bomb before Japan or Germany (who had made significant progress on one) during World War II. Other examples include the extraordinary efforts of hundreds of Disney artists to produce live action films, such as "Snow White," in the 1930's, the Palo Alto 
Research Center (PARC) who provided the inspiration for the development of the MacIntosh computer. According to "Organizing Genius," Great Groups hope to "make a dent in the universe," an exhortation made by Steve Jobs to the team developing the MacIntosh computer.
Bennis shares 13 characteristics of Great Groups. One is that "every Great Group has a strong leader," banishes the notion by some that creativity flourishes in a nihilistic environment. Great creativity requires the inspiration, dedication, organization and discipline that a talented leader can provide.
Another characteristic is that "Great Groups think they are on a mission from God." At the heart of every Great Group is a belief that they can change the world. The members of the Manhattan Project believed that the fate of the world was on their shoulders, but the task isn't as important as the belief of the group in its importance. Since any endeavor, from banding together to start and build a company, develop a winning campaign or raise funds for a worthy cause can be the inspiration for a great group, you will likely remember times that you, too, were part of a Great Group.
Anyway, get the book; it's a quick read, entertaining and one of the best books there is on the principles of successful creative collaboration at work. Or, for a brief summary of the key points (without the cool case histories) download this article by Bennis.
Top Photographs from http://www.atomicmuseum.com/index.cfm
MacIntosh photograph from Wikipedia
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