Sublime

Sceniuses balance the free flow of ideas with strict cultural norms. Members are competitive enough to motivate each other but cooperative enough to find joy in their success. They meet often enough to share ideas but work independently enough to develop their own voice. Though they are willing to adapt to changing circumstances, they root themselv

If you looked at the map of idea formation that Dunbar created, the ground zero of innovation was not the microscope. It was the conference table.

Adam recalls something he learned in graduate school: memory is always a collaboration in progress.

publicly visible.

even with all the advanced technology of a leading molecular biology lab, the most productive tool for generating good ideas remains a circle of humans at a table, talking shop.

The process reminds one of tinkering; learning consists of building up a set of materials and tools that one can handle and manipulate. Perhaps most central of all, it is a process of working with what you’ve got. We’re all familiar with this process on the conscious level, for example, when we attack a problem empirically, trying out all the thing

While the creation and full use of specialized knowledge often requires protective environments inside organizations, its value depends on broad openness and exchange at the network level. These two processes, taken together, suggest that dynamics of formation and dissolution of organizations are likely necessary for new information to be created a

into arrogant, defensive nonlearners. The lesson is: Create an organization that prizes the development of ability—and watch the leaders emerge.