Collective Intelligence Development in Business

This book analyses the development of Collective Intelligence by a better knowledge of the diversity of the temperaments and behavioural and relational processes. The purpose is to help the reader become a better Collective Intelligence Leader, who will be able to capitalize on the specificities and the differences of the individuals present in its collective, and transform these differences into complementarities, which are a source of wealth.

Table of Contents:
Introduction  ix Chapter 1. Relevance and Foundations of Collective Intelligence 1 1.1. Adapting to a world in complete transformation 1 1.2. The pillars of a company in development, the foundations of Collective Intelligence 6 1.3. Conclusion 11 Chapter 2. People: The Heart of the Collective Intelligence Development Process  13 2.1. Collective Intelligence: a largely untapped resource  14 2.2. Lack of Collective Intelligence: causes and consequences  16 2.2.1. The causes of Collective Unintelligence 16 2.2.2. The consequences of Collective Unintelligence 19 2.3. Five good reasons to raise the level of Collective Intelligence 24 2.3.1. Getting away from Collective Unintelligence  24 2.3.2. Making infrastructure more permeable  25 2.3.3. Less individualism, more collective work and less control  26 2.3.4. Increasing the intangible wealth of a company 32 2.3.5. To implement change  36 2.3.6. Conclusions about the reasons to increase the level of Collective Intelligence 38 2.4. Collective Intelligence: an obvious choice faced with a fundamental paradox  39 2.4.1. The paradox  39 2.4.2. Consequences of this paradox: the small range of personalities present in companies 40 2.4.3. Conclusion: the necessity of understanding diversity to move toward complementarity 43 Chapter 3. Developing Collective Intelligence: Understanding People and Diversity 45 3.1. Diversity? A matter of interpretation! 46 3.1.1. Report of the mechanism of interpretations 47 3.1.2. The devastating effects of interpretation on Collective Intelligence – the necessity of practicing scientific reasoning 51 3.2. Understanding people through perception filters 54 3.2.1. The obvious part of perception filters: exogenous filters 55 3.2.2. The less obvious part of perception filters: endogenous filters  57 3.2.3. Filters in the service of Collective Intelligence  86 3.2.4. Why do some personalities seem difficult to you?  88 3.3. Diversity and stress: different survival behaviors  89 3.3.1. The origin of survival behaviors  90 3.3.2. How do survival behaviors manifest? 90 3.3.3. Main causes of survival behavior 91 3.3.4. Survival behaviors and adaptation 94 3.4. Conclusion on the elements of diversity  96 Chapter 4. What is Leadership? A Note on Works about Leadership and a Tentative Definition of Leadership 99 4.1. A note on works about leadership  99 4.2. Tentative definition of leadership  105 4.3. Three premises of leadership  106 4.3.1. Leadership is relational 106 4.3.2. Leadership is a-hierarchical 111 4.3.3. Leadership is contextual 123 4.4. Links between Collective Intelligence and Leadership 126 4.4.1. What are the links?  126 4.4.2. Possible deviations  127 4.4.3. Conclusion on the links between Collective Intelligence and Leadership  128 4.5. Leadership, to mediate between opposing sides 131 4.6. Leadership: transcending organizational or cultural differences 136 4.6.1. Leadership and organization: example of a matrix organization 136 4.6.2. Leadership: overcoming cultural differences 138 4.7. Conclusions about leadership  145 Chapter 5. Postures and Roles of a Leader to Develop Collective Intelligence 147 5.1. Introduction: learning to be a leader  147 5.2. The postures of a leader 149 5.2.1. Behaving like a learner 149 5.2.2. Demonstrating responsibility  155 5.2.3. Treating other people as equals 160 5.3. The roles of a leader, in the service of Collective Intelligence 163 5.3.1. Role of a leader in relation to the Vision 163 5.3.2. Role of a leader in relation to the Structure  165 5.3.3. Role of a leader in relation to individuals and their skills 168 5.3.4. Main actions of a leader, manager or non-manager, over individuals and their skills  185 Chapter 6. The Skills of a Leader in the Service of Collective Intelligence  189 6.1. Being a leader: a sum of personal skills for self-control  189 6.1.1. Ensuring maximum mobility of the filter slider 189 6.1.2. Knowing yourself and controlling your impact 192 6.1.3. Ensuring an emotional/rational balance  198 6.1.4. Appearing both close and distant  206 6.1.5. Developing a No. 10 Ego  207 6.1.6. Being perceived as authentic: a must! 211 6.1.7. Getting rid of authoritarianism 218 6.2. Being a leader: the sum of relational skills to influence  220 6.2.1. The criteria of influence 221 6.2.2. The fundamentals of successful communication  225 6.2.3. Practicing feedback: a relational technique  236 6.2.4. Using communication techniques to make people accept responsibility 240 6.2.5. Public speaking  247 6.2.6. Practicing “real delegation” 258 6.2.7. Being proactive  261 6.2.8. Taking care to motivate people according to individual expectations 262 6.2.9. Coaching when necessary  264 6.2.10. Conducting difficult conversations  277 6.3. Being a leader: creating sense  306 6.3.1. The question of context and its impact  307 6.3.2. What to observe when studying context? 308 Conclusion 335 Bibliography  339 Index 343

About the Author :
Patricia BOUVARD and Hervé SUZANNE, coaches and consultants, are both Associate Directors and Co-creators of Horizon Performance Conseil, a training company specialized in the development of Collective Intelligence within companies. At present, their works are mainly focused on topics of influence and authenticity, in particular through a deeper knowledge of the various types of personality and their needs.