Shifting from Groupthink to Collective Wisdom
Reaching agreement in a way that naturally leads to more connection and innovation
We spend much of our lives trying to reach consensus, to arrive at a generally accepted decision among a group of people. From choosing a restaurant for dinner to crafting business strategies, our daily interactions often require us to come to some form of agreement.
We are naturally inclined to seek agreement with others. Deep down, we yearn to be understood, to be accepted, and to belong.
But what if the ways we’ve learned to come to agreement are actually taking us further away from our desires?
Groupthink: Inertia Wins
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon where the desire for harmony or cohesiveness in a group leads to a tendency among its members to agree at all costs.
Quick agreement is found around status quo solutions with little discussion, deliberation or critical thinking.
This is where creativity and innovation goes to die.
Compromise: Nobody Wins
The fear of conflict and the innate human desire to belong often lead us to compromise, settling for less than what we truly desire just to maintain unity.
Everyone comes away feeling dissatisfied, disillusioned and uninspired. But hey, we reached agreement!
Overpowering: I Win, You Lose
Then there’s the winner-take-all approach, where the opinion held by the one with the loudest voice, most money or greatest authority overrides the needs or desires of everyone else and becomes the “chosen” outcome.
This all-too-common form of reaching “agreement” often feels more like a battlefield of differing perspectives. With nervous systems on high alert, individuals are quick to defend their position and dig in their heels for fear of getting toppled over.
I imagine you’ve been there. I certainly have. In fact, there have been times when { ugh} I was that person, that “winner.” Although the Playbook told me this was what leadership and success required, it never really felt like winning to me.
There Must Be a Better Way
We have a deep human desire to connect and agree, seeking harmony and happiness.
At some point, though, we need to stop and ask: Can we truly get there through groupthink, compromise or fighting in the name of peace?
Or is there a better way ~ a way that actually leads to the understanding, connection and cooperation we are all craving?
Unleashing Collective Wisdom
There is a better way. It just requires us to see differently.
What does it look like to reach consensus, when viewed from the Roundtable? What becomes possible when we remember that we are each a part of an interconnected ecosystem?
Imagine with me for a moment….
You walk into a room and take your seat at a round table. As you make eye contact with the others, you appreciate how each individual is a valued member of the group.
Each person has arrived from a different department, sector, organization or even country. You are all facing toward the center, focused on a particular question, challenge or vision.
The session begins, and each person is invited to share their perspective.
‘Tell me what’s happening out there from your vantage point. What are you seeing, experiencing, and sensing from the interactions in your part of the world?’
Every report is directed toward the center, not at anyone else. Everyone has the time and freedom to express their viewpoint without fear of being judged, dismissed, or silenced.
With each added perspective, the pool of information becomes richer and more nuanced. As these diverse viewpoints intertwine, something magical begins to take shape ~ an idea, a solution, a direction that’s far more brilliant than any one person could conceive from their valuable yet limited perspective.
With the benefit of a much more holistic picture, people now begin to spontaneously see and share new connections, insights and inspirations. The way forward becomes clear and obvious to everyone there.
I have witnessed this happen countless times, and every single time I sit in awe and wonder at what emerges through this collective wisdom process.
Consensus as Co-sensing: Everybody Wins
The word “consensus” traces back to Latin, originating from consentire, which means “to feel together.”
Everyone seated at the Roundtable is seen as sensory receptors around a cell membrane, feeding essential information back to the core. No single perspective dominates ~ instead, we are guided by the alchemy of the collective viewpoints.
As part of an ecosystem, we recognize that things are happening beyond our perception ~ and that we are nevertheless impacting them and they are impacting us.
Gaining a more holistic picture of the areas outside our peripheral vision allows us to understand the situation more fully and make choices that are good for us and good for the collective.
There’s no need to judge one perspective as right and others as wrong.
By viewing all inputs as vital to the thriving of the whole, we can lower our defenses and feel safe to bring all of who we are and what we see, think and feel into the space.
We can shift beyond the constraints of groupthink, compromise and overpowering to unleash true harmony, understanding, and creativity.
By embracing a more inclusive way of making decisions ~ one that honors the wisdom of every voice at the table ~ we open the door to innovative solutions and a deeper connection with each other and the world around us.
Originally published at https://regeneratingleadership.substack.com.
