Long live collective (and female) intelligence

When human brains come together, they can produce a higher form of intelligence.

This has been scientifically proven. What remains to be understood is how this collective intelligence is built and what means need to be deployed to produce it. Emile Servan-Schreiber shares his answers in his book SUPERCOLLECTIF, published by FAYARD in October 2018. A goldmine for communities of coworkers.

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A few preconceived ideas to dispel from the outset:

A group being made up of a large number of intelligent people does not make it an intelligent group. According to a study by MIT, a group's intelligence is determined by the  social sensitivity of each member and how equally speaking time is shared among the people within it. As women are markedly better listeners than men, it is the groups with the most women that achieve the best scores. (A subliminal note: might it be time for little boys to learn to be less self-centred?)

The characteristics of an intelligent group

The technological progress of the past 20 years has brought us all closer together. In principle, we can all connect our minds. But does that potential actually trigger a movement of the... intelligent crowd? Well, no. For collective intelligence to emerge, groups have to organise themselves and follow certain rules. For Emile Servan-Schreiber, a group will be intelligent if, in particular, it meets 2 main criteria:

#1 A diversity of viewpoints and mental frameworks.
It is the diversity of backgrounds, journeys and cultures that enriches debate and brings knowledge together. Worth noting: individual biases cancel each other out when mechanisms for constructive confrontation are put in place.

#2 The independent-mindedness of the group's members.
Unsurprisingly, it is original, non-conformist viewpoints that feed a group's thinking. The reminder does no harm all the same: for a group to be intelligent, free rein must be given to expression and to independent viewpoints. Intelligent groups encourage every contribution and know how to listen to one another.

Gathering the data, then forecasting...

Collective intelligence serves to improve two key brain functions: forecasting and innovation. At company level, these qualities hold true. The most innovative companies are those that involve the most employees in their efforts to generate ideas. The more people they involve in their thinking, the more creative they will be.

The same observation holds for predictive capabilities. While artificial intelligence is capable of the best predictions by drawing on the analysis of big data, there are situations where the data does not exist - yet.  In such cases, collective intelligence can take over. A well-composed group will be capable of producing very good forecasts. Care must be taken, however, with how the data is synthesised. Emile Servan-Schreiber points out that only objective algorithmic methods will deliver meaningful results.

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So farewell to the providential man; we have entered the age of collective intelligence, the "third great revolution of this century, alongside big data and artificial intelligence". A new chapter that promises to be a little more human and warm than its two predecessors.

What is collective intelligence?

Collective intelligence is the ability of a group to combine skills, knowledge and ideas to achieve common goals. It is not merely the sum of individual intelligences, but a higher form of synergy. It rests on a diversity of viewpoints, effective communication, trust and independent-mindedness.

To develop collective intelligence, two elements are essential: diversity and communication. A diversity of profiles, backgrounds and cultures within a team enriches debate and brings varied perspectives. As for communication, it must be open, respectful and supported by suitable tools such as Slack or Trello. 

But for collective intelligence to flourish fully, trust and independent-mindedness must also be cultivated. In an environment of trust, everyone feels free to speak up and share their ideas, even the most original ones. It is this freedom that feeds collective thinking and drives innovation.

The benefits of collective intelligence are many: better decision-making, a boost to innovation, greater employee engagement and enhanced organisational resilience. What is more, teams with strong female representation, bringing heightened social sensitivity, often achieve better results.

Collective intelligence is a powerful lever for transforming our organisations by making the most of diversity and collaboration. It is the key to creating a more human, innovative and high-performing working environment. 

What are the 5Cs of collective intelligence?

The 5Cs of collective intelligence are the essential pillars that allow a group to reach a higher form of synergy by combining the skills and knowledge of its members.

☞ Common understanding 
Picture a team where everyone is on the same wavelength, with a shared vision and shared goals. That is Common Understanding! When everyone is aligned, coordination and cooperation become child's play. 

☞ Communication 
Open, effective Communication is the be-all and end-all when it comes to exchanging ideas and information. Fortunately, with tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams, keeping communication smooth and transparent has never been easier. No more excuses for not communicating. 

☞ Collaboration
Collaboration is when we work hand in hand in a coordinated way to reach our common goals. And guess what? Methods like Design Thinking and brainstorming techniques are there to boost our creative, productive collaboration.

☞ Trust 
Trust between team members is the glue that binds us together. When we trust one another, we feel safe to voice our ideas, even the wildest ones. And that is exactly what it takes to innovate and make decisions collectively.

☞ Co-creation
Co-creation is the process that lets us develop ideas and solutions together. By drawing on everyone's skills and knowledge, we generate innovative, effective solutions. 

The 5Cs of collective intelligence – Common Understanding, Communication, Collaboration, Trust and Co-creation – are the foundations that allow your team to reach optimal collective intelligence, thereby boosting your organisation's innovation and effectiveness.

What are the tools of collective intelligence?

Collective intelligence relies on the use of various tools that facilitate collaboration, communication and decision-making within groups. So here is a quick overview!

☞ Collaborative tools
You are surely familiar with Trello and Asana, those project-management platforms that let you visualise and organise your tasks. Thanks to them, coordinating and tracking progress becomes child's play. 

Next, we have communication platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams. These instant-messaging and collaboration tools bring all your exchanges together in one place, making communication smoother and more accessible for the whole team. No more emails getting lost in the maze of your inbox. 

☞ Facilitation tools
Do you know Design Thinking? It is a user-centred approach that fosters creativity and innovation by encouraging collaboration and experimentation. And for the more playful among you, serious games and simulations are perfect for solving complex problems in an engaging way.

☞ Decision-making tools
Online voting and polling tools like Doodle and SurveyMonkey let you quickly gather everyone's opinions and preferences, making collective decisions easier. And for the more tech-minded, consensus algorithms automate the process by taking account of all members' preferences to reach a solution accepted by the majority. 

The tools of collective intelligence, whether technological, methodological or decision-related, are indispensable allies for facilitating collaboration, communication and decision-making within your teams. With them, you are all set to achieve innovative, effective results.

What are the benefits of collective intelligence for management?

Collective intelligence offers numerous benefits for management, helping to transform  the organisation and boost performance internally. 

☞ Better decision-making
With collective intelligence, you combine a diversity of perspectives and skills, which allows you to make more informed, balanced decisions. By incorporating the varied viewpoints of every team member, you reduce individual biases and optimise your strategic choices. 

☞ Greater innovation
Collaboration and knowledge-sharing are creativity's best allies. Teams that practise collective intelligence are genuine idea machines, capable of co-creating innovative solutions and adopting disruptive approaches.

☞ Employee engagement
And what about employee engagement? Collective intelligence fosters a participative organisation where every member feels valued and heard. This inclusion boosts motivation, job satisfaction and the engagement of your talent. The result: better retention and a positive company culture. 

☞ Organisational resilience
Organisations that embrace collective intelligence are also resilient and adaptable in the face of change. Thanks to the ability to quickly mobilise the knowledge and skills of all members, you can overcome unforeseen challenges and adjust to new market conditions.

☞ Operational efficiency
By fostering collaboration and open communication, your teams work in a more coordinated, harmonious way, thereby reducing redundancies and inefficiencies. 

Collective intelligence is your ally for enriching your management, improving decision-making, driving innovation, engaging your employees, strengthening organisational resilience and increasing operational efficiency.