What happens when you assemble the greatest talent around in one room—and they are all as entrepreneurially minded as you are?

You’ve hired the best people you could find: driven, self-motivated, creative and smart—just like you. But have you considered how these rugged individuals will work together to achieve your goals?

In their landmark book Organizing Genius: the Secrets of Creative Collaboration (1997, Perseus Books), Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman look at case studies of successful teams, from the Manhattan Project to the winning 1992 presidential campaign staff. Their research determines how collections of brilliant nonconformists have come together in harmony to successfully create what the authors call the Great Group. Here are a few of the tips they identify:

1. Great Groups have extraordinary leaders. As the leader, you need to develop your eye for talent. When you’re recruiting, ask yourself: What is the specific task I want this individual to achieve? What is their focused area of expertise and, equally important, enthusiasm?
2. Great Groups don’t rest on hierarchy. This might seem to be in direct opposition to No. 1, but what it really means is that leaders are willing not merely to delegate responsibility but also to work collaboratively. What sets you, as a leader, apart is that you keep the group focused on its “dream” of greatness, not simply an ambition to succeed.
3. Great Groups are protected from the outside world. These teams are populated by nonconformists, not corporate bureaucrats. They often need a gatekeeper to ward off those bureaucrats and insulate them from details that could distract them from their goal.
4. Great Groups are fueled by curiosity. Group members have hungry minds. They aren’t interested in merely solving problems. They’re engaged in a process of discovery that is its own reward. They seek out creative, out-of-the-box solutions to problems rather than obvious ones.
5. Great Groups define themselves in terms of an enemy. A powerful “enemy” is more compelling than a mere goal. It’s a foe that throws up fascinating challenges at every turn. Working against an enemy brings together and defines the group, which sees itself as the winning underdog, ready to defy convention to succeed.
6. Great groups are temporary. Unlike a conventional team or division, great groups face a single project and often dissolve when the project is finished. Expect different groups to form and dissolve within your organization as needs arise.

You can check out an excerpt from the book at Inc. magazine. For reviews and information about the book, visit the Perseus Books Group website.

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