Empowerment
Groups often create feedback loops. At their worst they represent a mob that snuffs out any individual intelligence within. At their best they’re greater than the sum of their parts.
It has been shown that the collective intelligence held by a group is (a) positively affected by having a large number of socially-sensitive members whom are able to accurately read each other’s emotions, and (b) negatively affected by overbearing leaders that are reluctant to cede the floor to let others talk [1]. Groups which contain sensitive, participative members are intelligent, productive groups.
In many organisations if you privately ask somebody their opinion it does not match the opinion they give in public. For fear of ramifications many will act against even their most rational beliefs. Less sensitive individuals are more likely to be non-participative when they see that they will (1) need to defend themselves against overbearing members of a group, or (2) perceive their opinion as high risk in comparison to the group’s traditional value of security. On the other hand, more sensitive individuals are more capable of weighing the costs involved and participating.
Immediately, there are two concrete actions which if taken could help mitigate the first issue:
- Formally delineate authority. Reduce the ability for members to misappropriate their authority – that is, power granted for x should not be used to make decisions on y.
- Create a clear process for pushing and voting on change that is distinct from the group’s culture.
Unfortunately, the second issue is more significant and its solution requires a long-term shift to a more positive, innovative culture. In a company, I believe this has to be tackled on a personal level by acknowledging that we employ others for their talent and experience and that therefore we make better use of each other’s abilities when we give credence to their fresh opinions on old decisions. I assert that If you actively encourage employees to constructively challenge each other and to take ownership of their own ideas each individual employee will find it easier to participate and the collective intelligence of the group should increase.
As a manifesto:
Your responsibility is to encourage each other’s capacity to act independently. Your responsibility is to empower each to hold their own values and opinions with confidence. Your responsibility is to stand by them when they act decisively. Your responsibility is to trust them and their ideas. Your responsibility is to stop them when they say they are “still acclimatising”, act pessimistic or make light of feeling forced into unproductive work. Test uncertainty; don’t live life paralysed by doubt! Listening, understanding others, and being a cautious judge is wonderful but when you believe that something is right you should assert this with diplomacy and certitude, not simply for yourself but for those around you.
Put your faith in great people and let them know they are not alone. Through the empowerment of others create positive change.
[1] http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/12/19/group_iq
