John Krubski and Alexandra K. Camus, Psy.D.
All the theories in the universe aren’t worthy of a microsecond’s attention unless somebody can do something useful with them – here’s how.
Tapping into Collective Native Intelligence
In his fascinating and lively book, Howard Gardner describes the cognitive abilities that will command a premium in the years ahead. They include:
- The disciplinary mind
- The synthesizing mind
- The creating mind
- The respectful mind
- The ethical mind.
He doesn’t specify whether those “minds” are supposed to be in separate people or whether they are ideally to exist in the same person. Either way, we agree with his point of view. That is mainly because our concept of collective native intelligence applies to either or both. In our experience, every individual member of a team comes to the party with a multiplicity of intelligences (see Howard Gardner’s book on multiple intelligences.
Especially in a business setting, we tend to reduce people to job titles and functions. Consequently, when we include “Bob” or “Madge” in a meeting, it is with the assumption that they will represent their departmental or functional perspective.
That’s all right as far as it goes. The truth, however, is that both Bob and Madge are also parents, one is also a student and the other an avid fisherman. She is a pilot. He is a rock climber… and on it goes. In a Thinking Whole session, we actively discover and engage as many of the minds of Bob and Madge that we can.
Why? Because there is a wealth of experience, expertise, and wisdom there. Every such perspective gives Bob and Madge yet another “take” on whatever this meeting is about. If two people can bring ten minds to the table between them, do the math. How any intelligences can we harness with 20 people in the room? What about 40?
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