Description of Challenge
Our experience of living and working in groups can often be one of arriving with energy and
enthusiasm, only to leave tired, uninspired and having witnessed the group sink to its lowest
common denominator, both in decisions taken and behaviour displayed. We often choose not to
express our unique perspective, preferring to belong to the ‘groupthink’. Ultimately, this can lead to
manifestations like The Third Reich. We have a lot of experience of collective stupidity, but will we
be able to shift?
“The insanity of human destructiveness may be matched by an older grace & intelligence that is
fastening us together in ways we have never before seen or imagined.” Paul Hawken, Blessed
Unrest
Solution
We need to reinstate meaningful conversations at every level of society. We need to learn how to
creatively express our individual diversity and potential, without attachment to being right,
contributing our piece to the jigsaw puzzle of life. We start listening for new connections and
winwinwin outcomes instead of holding onto knowledge we already have.
References:
● Briskin, Alan, Sheryl Erickson, John Ott, and Tom Callanan. The Power of Collective
Wisdom: And the Trap of Collective Folly. San Francisco: Berret Koehler Publishers, Inc,
2009.
● Joubert, Kosha Anja. Die Kraft der Kollektiven Weisheit: Wie Wir Gemeinsam Schaffen,
Was Einer Allein Nicht Kann. Kamphausen J. Verlag, 2010.
● Tom Atlee on Collective Intelligence: Retrieved March 2015
● https://www.cointelligence.org/Collective_Intelligence.html;
● Exercise: Collective Wisdom
● https://www.collectivewisdominitiative.org
Submitted by: Kosha
Developed in collaboration with
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