Iconic political, religious and corporate leaders characterize the history of the world. Those leaders often represented an era or a movement, and their strategies may have been identified as what changed the outcome of an event like an election or a war. Arguably, while they may have been considered the face of change, they could not be individually responsible for the force of change. The force of change is a result of the co-action of members of an organization, community, or team operating with Collective Intelligence.
Leadership as a critical component to success on a personal, political, or corporate level is discussed, evaluated and trained practically ad nauseam. There is no question on the value of leadership as critical to success. However, success and transformation do not and cannot only occur at the leadership level or on an individual basis. History shows us that change and success are a direct result of how individuals mobilize themselves through their collective intelligence. The point is that leadership alone does not make the difference in exacting change or in delivering winning strategies. The successful outcome of anything is just as likely a result of the collective intelligence and collective experiences of the group of people who come together under the same rallying cry.
What Collective Intelligence represents in its simplest form is that two heads are better than one. Consider each word on its own: according to Dictionary.com, ‘Collective’ without ‘Intelligence’ is only a group of people viewed as a whole, and ‘Intelligence’ without ‘Collective’ is the simply the capacity for learning, reasoning and understanding relationships, facts and meanings. Together, these two words or concepts are referred to as a ‘Phenomenon’. Collective Intelligence by definition is “a phenomenon in sociology where shared or group intelligence emerges from the collaboration and competition of many individuals”.
History, success and even failure are constantly in the making because ordinary people in a changing world are always gathering towards shared hope and a desired outcome, shaped by their common understanding, values and needs. The results of the phenomenon of collective intelligence are impressive, revolutionary and inspiring. Consider any human rights movement, any advancement in medicine, or any branded product in the market today. Most examples that come to mind would be attributed to some form of Collective Intelligence.
This phenomenon occurs whenever and wherever there is a defined or undefined conflict. It occurs when a collective entity comes together, by accident or on purpose, because people want to work on something that is important to them and something they believe is possible. It happens every day in every part of the world. If leadership matters (and it does), the most intelligent thing that Leadership can do is to recognize when and where it is happening, provide the intellectual property that is needed to shape its direction, and harness its power and momentum.
An organization’s success in capitalizing on the power of collective intelligence is possible when it is able to reach the ideals of its constituents and allow them to lead the transformation through their command of the subject matter, their ability to coordinate themselves, and their own desire to collaborate toward the defined outcome. In corporations, Collective Intelligence is more effective than individual intelligence because it leverages the thinking, strengths and diversity of a broader entity. When the members of that entity are focused on the same common goal, the results achieved can exceed expectations.
An example of collective intelligence within most organizations is what is commonly referred to as the consensus process. An example of this process is when multiple functions to come together and align on one number that will represent the volume and profit outlook of the organization. Throughout this formalized process operates the fundamental belief that no one function, one role, or one person within the organization has access to the crystal ball that will predict the future.
The process itself is most often supported by a technical infrastructure of systems, tools and data. These are transactional in nature and grounded in the capturing of historical events used to predict a future outcome. Collective intelligence in this example is not simply common thinking. Quite the opposite—it is the uncommon thinking that comes from the respective biases of each function involved in the process—Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance and Sales. Effective collaboration of these different perspectives in interpreting the data and understanding the future can be a competitive advantage for an organization. Best practices in this area are built on the ability to share ideas, discuss and overcome conflicting elements or differences of opinion in order to achieve high performance. In this example collective thinking and strategizing is broader than the leadership of the organization. Bringing the right people together becomes more important than having the best Pedigree or the best idea.
Collective Intelligence is movement—it is fluid, in many cases deliberate, and constantly evolving. More importantly it fulfills a basic human need. Human beings are social, and throughout history have found ways to share their ideas, work towards common goals, and celebrate the successes of their collaboration. They have overthrown governments, ended wars and distributed enlightenment. The fact that this may be common does not deter from its impact on organizations and communities, policies or social norms. The momentum of holistic thinking against shared values is significant. Its impact is transformational as it defines experiences and outcomes on multiple levels.
I have experienced it firsthand. My example is in the context of an annual event, which takes place in many cities across Canada, known as the ‘Walk for the Cure”. The goal is to raise funds for important research that will one day cure breast cancer. This is a collective group of strangers—men, women and children coming together with one ultimate goal in mind. I was fortunate to be part of this, not as a walking participant but because of my address at the time. I lived on a street in a community that was part of the designated walking route. In my first year as a member of that community, I experienced the power of this collective movement and how inclusive it was. The street burst with what I will call the Walkers—pink t-shirts, waving hands, smiling faces and cheering voices despite tired feet and aching limbs. The sidewalk burst with neighbors from blocks away bringing oranges and water bottles, homemade baked goods, and as many high fives and handshakes as there were blades of grass on the walked over lawns. I can only describe it as a pink flurry of harmonious chaos.
In this example, what was really happening had become more important than the rallying cry itself. Before the ‘Walkers’ burst onto the street, people were there to support a good cause. But once they arrived, a transformation occurred. It was no longer about fundraising, it was about hope. It was not only about the cure, it was about healing. I was swept into the energy of the crowd and the power of a holistic commitment to the cause.
The reach of this event is not only attributed to the marketing of it or the vision of its organizers. Its multiple contributors—the walkers, the sidewalk supporters, the donators, the researchers, and their collective belief in the potential for a cure, define the reach of this event and the possibility of the outcome. In the crusade to end Breast Cancer, leaders and organizers have figured it out. The men, women and children who believe in the cause fuel funding for research. Giving them the forum to collaborate and feel the energy of their collective intelligence fuels hope and healing for everyone in the process. Everyone involved will one day deliver the cure.
Whatever the conception of collective intelligence was in early sociological theory, it has transcended just about everything the world and its people experience on a local and global level, as well as on a personal and professional level. Its power is supported by many examples of political, social and corporate success. It can be considered the highest form of thinking that leads to revolution and evolution.
The face of change is not the force of change. Whether considering a paradigm shift in an organization’s processes or local community politics, or social media forums like Facebook, people coming together, by accident or on purpose, to achieve a commonly desired outcome or share a common interest, is what makes history and defines our future. It is where the stories of transformation are born.