Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration
Author: Patricia Ward Biederman, Warren G. Bennis
List Price: $16.95
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ISBN: 0201339897
Publisher: Perseus Publishing (June, 1998)
Sales Rank: 14,017
Average Customer Rating: 3.67 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 4 out of 5
Unlocking The Secrets Of Creative Collaboration
Warren Bennis had several important goals in mind when he wrote his excellent book, Organizing Genius. He hoped to dispel the myth of the rugged individualist or so called "lone ranger", as being the only one capable of solving societies most difficult problems. Bennis tried to unlock the secrets as to why some groups of talented individuals produce greatness unimagined in its brilliance, while other groups never lived up to their full potential. He also systematically analyzed seven Great Groups in order to uncover the reasons for their collective genius. He than eloquently summarized his findings into fifteen take-home lessons that are both thought provoking, yet elegant in their simplicity. The end result of his efforts was a book that should be required reading for any leader hoping to unlock the secrets of collective greatness. However, the one weakness of Bennis's book was his decision to include the election team involved in Bill Clinton's 1992 Presidential win as a Great Group. I disagree with Bennis's premise that the Clinton campaign team had some of the same characteristics as the remarkable group that brought home the stranded astronauts of Apollo 13. The Apollo 13 Great Group was able to save the lives of three astronauts after a mysterious in-flight explosion in outer space, because of incredible ingenuity and teamwork. Clinton won the 1992 Presidential election because of good timing. The election results of 1992 were dominated by a poorly performing American economy with high unemployment and a rather unpopular incumbent President, named George Bush.
Rating: 5 out of 5
The magic is in the synergy.
This absorbing work explores the marriage between able leadership and the organization of gifted people that, combined, produces extraordinary results. The authors examine seven such groups including the Skunk Works, the Manhattan Project, Disney Feature Animation Unit, and President Clinton's 1992 campaign team. The book concludes with fifteen lessons of great groups. Extensive notes are provided. The authors clearly reveal the complex SYNERGY between leadership and organization that creates high-performance teams, but one has to also consider the influence environmental circumstances-threats and opportunities. Abounds with excellent insights. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, HR consultant.com InfoCenter and Stern & Associates.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Really Great Insights
I got tremendous value out of this book. While I did not see or connect with all the Great Groups that Bennis used as case studies, there are powerful ideas and insights in every one of them. I have summarzied his 15 "Take Home Lessons" in a one page handout and include it in the materials for our School for Innovators and on operational Thinking Expeditions. I also got a video of "Fat Man & Little Boy" - the Manhattan Project (which is cited in the book) and have referenced it often as an example of a powerfully urgent Great Group coalesces and collabortes differently. For anyone trying to not just launch a fastforward team, but who also wants to inspire that team to greatness, this is a must read. Caution: this is not a "how to do it" book - rather it tells the story and paints the picture, and its up to the reader to take his or her own learnings and how to out of it (iontuitively). Similar Products
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