When we rolled out GenAI at Veracyte, we didn’t cluster people by department. Instead, we formed peer-led learning groups around use cases:

  • Writing and editing
  • Coaching and feedback
  • Brainstorming and ideation
  • Data privacy and governance

Over six weeks, each group honed its particular use case and shared tips in real time. People definitely got better at using the tools, but something even more powerful happened alongside the skill-building.

New connections sparked across the company

Scientists were suddenly learning from sales reps. Legal and customer care were comparing notes on data privacy. Folks who had never spoken before started to understand each other’s struggles, frustrations, and sources of joy.

By designing collaboration around shared problems instead of org charts, we unlocked trust and empathy. The highlight for many participants — according to our post-program survey — wasn’t just new GenAI skills, it was the relationships and perspective they gained.

That’s the hidden power of collaboration-by-design:

  • Trust builds faster when people tackle real challenges together.
  • Boundaries soften when connections cross silos.
  • Innovation compounds when people see the bigger picture of the work.

AI was the reason we gathered, but connection was the outcome. And in a world where loneliness is a quiet threat to performance, those connections may be the most enduring thing we built.

Question for you: How do you design collaborations in your org so they intentionally build trust — not just output?