What if genius isn’t the quality of an individual, but something that emerges when we place “ordinary” people into extraordinary situations?

In other words, what if genius is not something you are, but rather something you do?

In genius world, “Send us winners and we’ll make winners out of them.” [1]

In scenius world, we create the conditions in which almost anyone can act like a genius. That requires some tradeoffs:

• Are you willing to accommodate early adopters and not just the late market?

• Are you willing to let certain spaces be semi-open, permeable?

• Are you willing to tolerate outlaws (with good intent)?

• Are you willing to name—and commit resources to—an exciting vision for the future?

If so, you have the pieces in place to activate “the communal form of the concept of genius.”

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[1] Attributed to James Moffett, quoted in Alfie Kohn.

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Each Wednesday we share a “what if” scenario. Consider it a provocation rather than a suggestion.

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