Generative Collaboration: Releasing the Creative Power of Collective Intelligence

Working together with others in groups and teams is an increasingly common and important part of modern business and contemporary life. High performing teams demonstrate the characteristic of collective intelligence. Collective intelligence relates to the ability of people in a team, group or organization to think and act in an aligned and coordinated fashion

The fruit of effective collective intelligence is what is known as generative collaboration. Generative collaboration involves people working together to create or generate something new, surprising and beyond the capacities of any of the group members individually. Through generative collaboration, individuals are able to utilize their abilities to the fullest and discover and apply resources that they did not yet realize that they had. They draw new ideas and resources out of each other. Thus, the performance or output of the group as a whole is much greater than it would be if the individuals were working by themselves.

This book is for people who want to increase their capacity for working effectively together with others and to experience the excitement, satisfaction and power of generative collaboration.

Robert Dilts has had a global reputation as a leading behavioral skills trainer and business consultant since the late 1970s. A major developer and expert in the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Robert has provided coaching, consulting and training throughout the world to a wide variety of individuals and organizations. Robert has pioneered the principles and techniques of Success Factor ModelingTM, and has authored numerous books and articles about how they may be applied to enhance leadership, creativity, communication and team development. Past corporate clients and sponsors have included Apple Inc., Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, The Old Mutual, Société Générale, Bank of America, The World Bank, Alitalia, Telecom Italia, RAI Italia, Lucasfilms Ltd., Ernst & Young, AT Kearney, Salomon, The American Society for Training and Development, EDHEC Business School and the State Railway of Italy. He has lectured extensively on coaching, leadership, organizational learning and change management, making presentations and keynote addresses for The International Coaching Federation (ICF), HEC Paris, The United Nations, The European Forum for Quality Management, The World Health Organization, The Milton H. Erickson Foundation, Harvard University and the International University of Monaco. In 1997 and 1998, Robert supervised the design of Tools for Living, the behavior management portion of the program currently used by Weight Watcher's International. Robert was an associate professor at the ISVOR Fiat School of Management for more than fifteen years, helping to develop programs on leadership, innovation, values and systemic thinking. From 2001-2004 he served as chief scientist and Chairman of the Board for ISVOR DILTS Leadership Systems, a joint venture with ISVOR Fiat (the corporate university of the Fiat Group) that delivered a wide range of innovative leadership development programs to large corporations on a global scale. A co-founder of Dilts Strategy Group, Robert was also founder and CEO of Behavioral Engineering, a company that developed computer software and hardware applications emphasizing learning strategies and behavioral change. He is also co-founder, with Dr. Stephen Gilligan, of the IAGC (International Association for Generative Change). Robert has a degree in Behavioral Technology from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Antonio Meza has been drawing cartoons ever since he can remember, but his professional cartoonist work started only recently in his life. A native of Pachuca, Mexico, Antonio is a Master Practitioner and a Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). He has a degree in Communication Sciences from Fundación Universidad de las Américas Puebla, a Masters degree in Film Studies from Université de Paris 3 -Sorbonne Nouvelle, a diploma in Cinema Scriptwriting from the General Society of Writers in Mexico (SOGEM), and a diploma in Documentary Films from France's École Nationale des Métiers de l'Image et du Son (La Fémis). He had participated in animated cartoons startups in Mexico before moving to France where he works as a consultant, coach, and trainer, specializing in creative thinking and collective intelligence. Antonio is also an experienced public speaker member of Toastmas- ters International. In 2015 he was awarded best speaker at the International Speech Contest of District 59, covering South-West Europe, and reached the semifinals at international level. His cartoons and illustrations have been published by the Université Pantheon-Assas (Paris 2), he co-authored three books (as illustrator); two with Jean-Eric Branaa: "English Law Made Simple" and "American Government Made Simple" published by Ellipses in Paris and "Les Vrais Secrets de la Communication" with Beatrice Arnaud. He also uses his skills as a cartoonist and trainer to collaborate in seminars, conferences and brainstorming sessions as a graphic facilitator, and to produce animated videos to explain complex information in a fun way. Antonio has illustrated the three volumes for the Success Factor Modeling series in collaboration with Robert Dilts.