Brave New Ways #9 / Collective Intelligence, Social Brain, Imposter Syndrome, Dissonance
Brave New Ways helps you ask the most valuable questions and do original thinking.
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You have a second, social brain. Are you using it wisely?
We have a second, social brain. It’s hard-wired with pre-historic intelligence for group success and group survival. But (a) we’re probably not using it right and (b) we’re disrupting its function with no clear understanding of the consequences.
Rethinking our present struggles with good group behavior in evolutionary terms helps make a lot of things make more sense. And it opens up a brave new horizon of unexplored opportunities — and risks — for individuals, organisations, and humanity.
Opportunity for Action
Does the “hybrid” workplace go far enough to reimagine work? Or is the hybrid workplace half-stuck in industrial-age thinking?
What would the "rehumanized" organization look like, if its design principles were built around social-brain principles, i.e.: (a) Individuals work best wherever works best for them, and (b) The mothership's job is to curate points of site, ritual, and drama, to create healthy context for our in-built processes of group formation, information processing and behavioral transfer to happen?
Spark Conversation
The Industrial Revolution created a clear division between "work" and "life."
The workplace has been evolving away from its factory origins ever since. And yet its roots are still plain to see. If we could free our mind from this line entirely, what would we see THEN?
Discover Brave New Thinkers
Each from very different perspectives, these people and institutions are leading expeditions into the unknown frontiers of collective behavior:
Read: Stewardship of global collective behavior by Joe Bak-Coleman et al. @jbakcoleman
Research: MIT’s Center for Collective Intelligence
Read: The Children's Fire by Mac Macartney
Watch: Jessica Flack'sbrilliant (but long!) 2019 lecture on how nature solves complex problems
On seeking dissonance:
The Explorers' Gym
A Cure for Imposter Syndrome
Explorers need diverse allies. Is fear holding you back from inviting a rich mix of people to join your expedition?
Maybe you feel a little nervous about reaching out to other people who know more about your topic or territory than you do. The common term for this feeling is "imposter syndrome." Do a quick reframe to free up your convening power:
Premium Content
Watch Chris' recap from a recent conversation with pharmaceutical company executives.
Join the conversation at the NeueGeo Discord Channel.
The Journey Continues...
Public services – from building highways and bridges, to delivering healthcare, education and law enforcement – are some of society’s biggest collective projects. In the next edition of Brave New Ways, we explore Public Services, government spending, and stagnation.
🙏 Thanks for bringing your energy here. - Chris and your NeueGeo team
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