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ORGANIZING GENIUS:The Secrets of Creative Collaboration Warren Bennis |
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Questions asked in this forum:
Warren Bennis asked questions about "Organizing Genius" and developing creative group dynamics.
NewsHour Links:
March 26, 1997:
David Gergen talks with author Warren Bennis about his book "Organizing Genius."
March 26, 1997:
Garry Wills, professor of History at Northwestern University, talks with David Gergen about America's favorite movie star, John Wayne.
February 21, 1997:
David Gergen talks with author and professor David Coles about raising moral children.
May 14, 1996:
David Gergen talks with Winifred Gallagher, science writer and author of "I.D.: How Heredity and Experience Make You Who You Are."
March 11, 1996:
David Gergen engages Seymour Martin Lipset author of "American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged Sword, about the dynamics of the American national character."
September 19, 1996:
David Gergen talks to Rosabeth Moss Kanter author of "World Class: Thriving Locally in the Global Economy."
Browse the Gergen Dialogue's index.
A recent survey by The Economist found that among senior executives of international firms, 61 per cent said that "teams of leaders" will have the most influence on their organizations in the next decade; only 14 per cent said "one leader." According to Warren Bennis, this is the reality of great deeds throughout history. "We have to recognise a new paradigm: not great leaders alone but great leaders who exist in a fertile relationship with a Great Group."
In a discussion with David Gergen on The NewsHour Bennis pointed to many examples of great groups in history including the Manhattan Project, the work of the Disney animation studio in the "Snow White" period, the 1992 Clinton election team and a very famous artist...
"When you ask people who painted the Sistine Chapel, what comes to most people's minds, the correct answer is Michelangelo. But it was Michelangelo plus 13 terrific artists and a crew of 200 that did the Sistine Chapel. (A)ll throughout history it's been... a creative group."
Bennis offers his insight into what makes a Great Group by laying 15 basic lessons that helped them achieve success:
Our forum asks: What makes a Great Group? What can groups and leaders learn from Great Groups of the past? Are there really no "Lone Rangers"?
- Greatness starts with superb people
- Every Great Group has a superb leader
- Great Groups and great leaders create each other
- The leaders of Great Groups love talent and know where to find it
- Great Groups are full of talented people who can work together
- Great Groups think they are on a mission from God
- Every Great Group is an island -- but has a bridge to the mainland
- Great Groups see themselves as winning underdogs
- Great Groups always have an enemy
- People in Great Groups have no distractions
- Great Groups are optimistic, not realistic
- In Great Groups, the right person has the right job
- The leaders of Great Groups give them what they need and free them from the rest
- Great Groups always deliver a product
- Great work is its own reward
Warren Bennis is Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and founding Chairman of The Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California. In a career that has spanned more than 45 years, he has authored or edited 25 books and has taught in Europe, South America and Asia.
Warren Bennis' answers to your questions are below.
- How will a "me" generation learn creative teamwork?
- What about Great Women Groups?
- Why focus on the group when most creativity is from individuals?
- What makes a Great Group different than a committee?
- What is Mr. Bennis' opinion of the Department of Energy contractor method of managing processes called "Conduct of Operations"?
- What makes a Great Group great?
- How important is "the dream" to Great Groups?
A question from Paul from California:As a computer systems engineer (and as a Navy veteran) I can say (at a mature age) that so far as humans are concerned collaboration (teamwork) is the key to everything. But teamwork alone is merely a shibboleth (overused in the 90's corporate culture); a winning team must be committed to winning and must focus upon the goal as its objective -- nothing less will do. They must all cooperate; helmsman steer, damage control stop leaks, gunners aim-load-fire, enginemen stoke, lookouts strain and signalmen communicate. The team must practice and practice and practice until the perfect their actions into a cohesive unit. Just sitting in a circle and holding hands until we feel warm and fuzzy is not creative collaboration and it is not teamwork. Just because we call something creative does not mean that creativity is present. How will a "me" generation learn "creativity" or "teamwork" since these themes are alien to the me, mine, my, I, get, have, own, indulge themes of our modern American?
Warren Bennis responds:
I agree with you: "teamwork is the key to everything." And yes, ditto about the term becoming a meaningless platitude, grist for Dilbert's mill. Most corporations I know espouse it, but don't really use it except to display on handsome and expensive lucite plaques which most people ignore or grow more cynical about.
In the Great Groups I wrote about I made a TREMENDOUS effort to emphasize that Great Groups have to do much more than sit around and "express themselves" or talk about--endlessly talk about--teamwork. As you say, it doesn't work like that. In fact, I don't use the word "teamwork" in the book. Nowhere.
As I wrote, all Great Groups PRODUCE: a nuclear device, a winning campaign, a stealth bomber, a PC; they have to produce a tangible PRODUCT. Remember Great Groups ship. I disagree with you on only one point. Although we always have to worry about the "disease of me," what I refer to in ORGANIZING GENIUS, as the "by-line culture" we seem to celebrate ad nauseum. I've noticed that the so-called GenX seem more disposed to teamwork--I'm sorry, working in Great Groups.
A question from Mariann Maris of Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
This message is a question: Does the sex of members of great groups dictate whether or not the group will be "great?" My mother, up until the time she died, belonged to a "great group" of women who quilted once a week. Their quilts were sent to impoverished people. Other groups of women cleaned the church she belonged to. Will efforts of women be included in a discussion of "great groups?" Hope so.
Warren Bennis responds:
Your question is one that my co-author, Patricia Ward Biederman, wrestled with throughout the writing. We struggled with it.
The truth is that for a variety of reasons-many of which we don't understand-there hasn't been a noticeable number of Great Women's Groups, at least not in this century. This is the sad case. We did look into the International Ladies Garment Workers (but that was led mostly by men), the Suffragette Movement (19th century which we excluded) and a few other women's groups but for the most part they didn't seem to make that "dent in the universe," which was our criterion for inclusion. Pat and I are considering a compantion volume on women's groups.
Even more sadly, when competent women were around as was true in the Manhattan Project or the PARC group, they weren't fully acknowledged, alas.
A question from Frederick H. Bartlett of Mercerville, NJ:
Nothing great is ever done by a group -- unless that group is simply an extension of its leader, as in your example of Michelangelo. We do not need more dull conformists plodding along in groups;we need more geniuses willing to go their own ways. What group of physicists or artists would have taken on Einstein or Picasso in 1910? Sure, groups are great for business -- but not when realcreative intelligence is necessary. You business administration types should restrict your pronunciaments to those quotidian arenas where they might actually find some limited application. Please comment.
Warren Bennis responds:
I couldn't disagree more. Picasso would never have created cubism without his partner, Georges Braque. The two of them worked together from 1906 to 1914 during which period they met nightly to discuss their work, dressed alike, referred to themselves as the Wright Brothers (Picasso called Braque "Willbourg") and their paintings were practically indistinguishable from each other. In fact, many of their pictures were not signed. If it weren't for their alliance, there wouldn't be Cubism.
And there would not have been psychoanalysis had their not been Jung and Abaraham and Jones and a few others who made up Freud's Circle. Was it Oppenheimer alone who developed the atom bomb? Was the PC invented solely by Alan Kay or the Internet by JCR Licklider? The French group of composers, called "Les Six" included giants like Poulenc, Ravel and Debussy.
Your misinformed and rather snide remark that it's only the "business administration types" who can work together or think that groups are important is downright wrong.
When you look at history, please keep in mind that it's always a small group of thoughtful and committed people that have changed the world. Think 12 Apostles!
A question from Larry Levandowski of Hong Kong:
A question regarding the Great Groups paradigm; What makes a Great Group different from a committee? In my experience, a committee rarely does anything but argue about it's own purpose; getting something done is only a rare by-product.
Warren Bennis responds:
Read my comment above. Most committees are a waste of time, a lame excuse for lack of action and decision. The trouble is that most of us have suffered through aindess committee meeting where the leader wasn't clear about the purpose and the members wondered what they were doing there. Bad committee meetings are far worse than no conunittee meetings. The Great Groups I wrote about felt that they were on a mission from God, knew that they were going to change the world, "dealt lightning with both hands." That's not your usual committee, is it?
A question from Ron Palmer of Buffalo, NY:
Is Mr. Bennis familiar with the Department of Energy contractor method of managing processes called "Conduct of Operations"? It's used extensively to micromanage big projects. Any opinions? Thanks
Warren Bennis responds:
I am not familiar with the Department of Energy's "Conduct of Operations." Can you send me some material about it? (Bridge Hall 308, USC, LA.,CA. 90089-1421)
A question from Ronald M. Klein, Ph.D. of Spokane, WA:
Great Groups, while striving for excellence, create an atmosphere where "mistakes" are not only tolerated but encouraged since they are markers on the path to greatness. This gives the group members the freedom to move beyond safe traditional boundaries and suggest "unorthodox" creative, perhaps playful alternatives for problem solving. It also leads to personal growth for group members. Please Comment.
Warren Bennis responds:
Amen! I couldn't have said it better myself.
A question from Gary Mikami of Dallas, Texas:
Great Groups, I believe are the result of inspired induviduals who have agreed to form the group on thebasis of these elements; Someone, must lead preferably by example, and who can inspire. In order to lead, the leader must have an idea. The idea or goal must be 'true', genuine, or without a negative motive behind it. So too, the people who organize behind the leader must be 'true'.This I believe makes a Great Group. At the 'heart' of what makes a Great Group, is the goal, or idea. After all, I believe we have it in each of us to be a Great Leader. It's the motive, that decides the outcome. Please Comment.
Warren Bennis responds:
I can't add much to your wise and important comment. At the heart of every Great Group is a Dream, a spiritual project; to use an overused phrase, "it's the vision thing." That is the animating source of energy for these groups. I couldn't agree more.
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