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An extraordinary group achieves outstanding results while members experience a profound shift in how they see their world. These amazing groups show up in all sectors, they pursue all manner of purposes. Our sixty stories of these extraordinary Groups Discussion, came from organization leaders, information technology professionals, soldiers, software developers, trainers, managers, human resource officers, small business owners, community college counselors, basketball coaches, high school teachers, doctors, nurses, event organizers, community activists, health care administrators, consultants, soccer players, parishioners insurance executives, community volunteers, moms, government contractors, philanthropists, ministers high school students, book club members, white-water rafters, motorcycle riders, barbershop quartet singers, board members. We examined sixty wonderfully different groups that shared a common enthusiasm for their "extra ordinariness." We asked ourselves what extraordinary means, what indicators sort these amazing groups from the all the rest, what features differentiate these "Wow!" from all those that are "OK, but not great." In this chapter, we share our findings with you, and use one such to illustrate an extraordinary group in action. We encourage you to think about you’re in the context of what we have discovered about extraordinary groups. Our field study yielded eight indicators linked to what we are calling "extraordinary." Watch an extraordinary and you will see these eight indicators in action. Barb's and Laura's had most of them, and so did most of sixty groups we studied. Extraordinary GD exhibit:-A compelling purpose that inspires and stretches members to make the group and its work a top priority, Shared leadership that encourages members to take mutual responsibility for helping the group be successful, Just-enough-structure to create confidence to move forward, but not so much as to become bureaucratic or burdensome, Full engagement that results in all members jumping in with enthusiasm, sometimes passionately and chaotically, regardless of role, Embracing differences so that About Group Discussion, members see, value, and use their diversity as a strength, Unexpected learning that translates into personal and growth, Strengthened relationships among members characterized by trust, collegiality, and friendship, Great results, tangible and intangible. Keep this list of indicators at hand. Watch an extraordinary group at work and you will be busy checking them off. You will see one indicator after another, often many at once, bouncing off and building upon one another. As we interviewed people, these eight themes surfaced again and again. Whether the groups were for profit or not, involving volunteers or employees, face-to-face or virtual, these eight indicators emerged. Not every story illustrated every point, but every story contained several. We use one story, Tom's team of seven people, to illustrate the indicators. You will see how one person felt a need, initiated action, pressed a point, and brought a team together to get something done.
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