FOSTERING CO-INTELLIGENCE

What is preventing your organization from achieving is optimal potential results? Could it be that your leadership team is pulling in different directions or that your organization is not making the best possible decisions, not using all the intelligence in your organization? The key may be to become a "co-intelligent" organization. 

What is “co-intelligence”?  Tom Atlee defines it as “being wiser together than we are individually." (1) 

Perhaps understanding "co-intelligence" is easier if we first consider "co-stupidity".   Everyone has seen "co-stupidity" at work.  It is the ability of any collection of people to come up with a dumber answer than any one member of the group would come up with by her- or himself.  

The story of the seven blind men and the elephant is also instructive as to what is "co-intelligence."  Each believes that he alone understands the essence of the elephant.  Only by pooling data and perspectives, however, was it possible to achieve an accurate picture and understanding of the elephant.

So: "Co-intelligence" is the process and result of harvesting higher wisdom from a group than would be possible from any single member of the group operating alone.  It also entails applying that wisdom to achieve the best possible results. (2) 

But:  "Co-intelligence" is not easy.  It involves recognition that there are multiple forms of intelligence (3) and eliciting, recognizing, and using all the multiple forms of intelligence to arrive at the best solution(s).  These include analytic intelligence; mathematical-quantitative, logic, inductive and deductive reasoning; interpersonal, emotional or empathic intelligence; spatial intelligence; cross-cultural intelligence; spiritual and moral intelligence; practical or experience-based intelligence; intuition; sensory intelligence; brainstorming, creative, poetic or artistic intelligence; analogies and associative intelligence; meditative intelligence; foresight; and mining the sub-conscious mind (e.g., dreams, guided visions). (4) (5) (6)

Co-intelligence also involves "systems thinking," the opposite of fragmentation: appreciating the interconnectedness of everything.  Inclusion, feedback, and group learning are key principles of co-intelligence.

In a world of multiple stakeholders, co-intelligence is essential.  It involves looking at the definition of the problem and seeking possible solutions from multiple perspectives, including all the stakeholders that stand to benefit from or be injured by the way the challenge is resolved.

HOW TO FOSTER CO-INTELLIGENCE:  Here are some of the principles we employ in cultivating co-intelligence.

• Use the word.  As your people hear the term "co-intelligence" they'll begin to strive for it.

• Form teams with the shared charge of coming up with a co-intelligent solution (and with shared incentives for doing so and shared consequences for failing to do so)

• Lead with questions, not answers

• Practice proactive listening (and develop the skills to do so)

• Articulate implicit assumptions and boundaries that are shaping the discussion and open them to challenge and reassessment

• Engage in dialogue and debate, not coercion

• Allow silence and time for reflection; not rushing to closure on decision making

•  Encourage “point of view” conversations or summaries to supplement or clarify "right-wrong" arguments or "fierce conversations".

• Examine and honor the varying values, perceptions or other roots of disagreement, without prematurely rejecting or discarding the perspectives of the other

• Be skeptical of either/or solutions.  When only two options have been identified, search for more.  Look for multiple alternatives, both/and type solutions, or solutions that include self-adjusting mechanisms for variable application to varying circumstances.

• Go beyond the wisdom immediately available in the room. Ask what solutions might other breakthrough leaders be able to see (e.g., Albert Einstein? Margaret Sanger? Abraham Lincoln? Jonas Salk?  Branch Rickie and Jackie Robinson? Charles Lindbergh? Carl Jung? Bill Gates? Etc.?)  

 Notes

  1.  T. Atlee and K. Mercer, The First Little Book of Co-Intelligence.  

  2.  Hargrove, Mastering the Art of Creative Collaboration. 

  3.  Gardner, Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. 

  4  Golemon, Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ.

  5.  Mattimore, 99% Inspiration: Tips, Tales & Techniques for Liberating Your Business Creativity.

  6.  Siler, Think Like a Genius: The Ultimate User's Manual for Your Brain.    

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