The Origins of Group Genius

"'A camel is a horse designed by committee.' This old saw demeans the camel, which is an admirably designed animal (for the environment in which it lives) and the group design process. It is not the idea of collective creativity which has failed but the committee idea itself; which attempts to function without clear understanding of the necessary processes involved in group problem solving!"

- Lawrence Halprin, "Taking Part: A Workshop Approach to Creativity," 1974

 

Co-Founder Gail Taylor first encountered the concept of group genius while living in Kansas City in the early 1970's in the work of Lawrence Halprin, community developer and co-author of "Taking Part: A Workshop Approach to Creativity." The idea resonnated with Gail's core beliefs about the nature of creativity and the collaborative potential of a group. Several years later, when Gail and Matt Taylor formed MG Taylor (then Taylor Associates), releasing "group genius" became a core principle in the organization's philosophy.

The logo was created by Christopher Fuller and Claire Arias for the Group Genius™ Weekend, an MG Taylor Patchworks™ Event that took place at the Palo Alto knOwhere Store in May, 1999.

 


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