?? Insights on Cooperation, Creativity, and Workplace Dynamics ??
Mohamed Fayez Monir
Engineering mindset | Pharmacist | Operations lead | Human focused Strategist | Business Digital innovation & Transformation Architect | Industry 4.0 Expert | Agile facilitator | Strategic organizational architect
How Group Size Affects Cooperation: Insights from Brain Science ??
New research from the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) has revealed that larger group sizes can actually foster greater cooperation. ?? An experiment involving 83 participants playing the "prisoner's dilemma" game showed that people in larger groups cooperated more frequently. The study highlights the benefits of flexible and fluid social connections for fostering cooperation, particularly in today's digital world. ?? Allowing people to form and adjust connections freely can lead to better collaboration in various environments such as schools, workplaces, and online platforms. ????
Through the experiment, participant brain activity was monitored using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The brain scans revealed that specific brain regions processed memories of past interactions and connected them to feelings of reward, encouraging cooperative behavior. This suggests that when memory becomes unclear, people prioritize cooperation over caution, enabling smoother group dynamics. The study emphasizes the importance of embracing natural flexibility in system design to enhance overall group dynamics.
?? Key Findings:
- Larger groups can foster more cooperation.
- Fluid social connections enhance teamwork.
- Digital platforms benefit from dynamic relationships.
?? Implications:
The findings offer a fresh perspective on how humans build trust and interact within groups. Organizations can improve teamwork by allowing people to form and adjust connections freely, rather than adhering to rigid group structures. This approach can be applied in schools, workplaces, and online platforms to foster better collaboration and group dynamics. The research also sheds light on how humans evolved to cooperate in large societies, leveraging memory and adaptability to work together effectively even under uncertain circumstances.
#Cooperation #Teamwork #BrainScience #Collaboration
What's the Best Way to Organize People to Generate Ideas? ??
A study from Binghamton University provides valuable insights into how people should be organized to develop the best ideas. The research, involving 617 students collaborating on creative tasks, revealed some surprising findings: connecting all participants in a social network killed idea diversity, while communicating with fewer participants produced better ideas. ?? Randomly connecting people yielded the best results, emphasizing the importance of promoting a "biodiversity" of ideas rather than preserving one precious idea. This approach can enhance creativity and innovation in team settings. ????
The experiments involved students working in groups of 20 to 25 people, who logged in daily for 10 working days to submit ideas and comment on or like their collaborators' ideas. The study used language analysis of self-introduction essays to determine whether students shared similar views or backgrounds when grouping them together. Some participants could communicate with their entire group, while others could only communicate with their "neighbors" on a ring-shaped organizational chart.
?? Key Findings:
- Connecting all participants reduced idea diversity.
- Fewer connections produced better ideas.
- Random connections foster the best results.
?? Implications:
The research suggests that organizing people to promote a "biodiversity" of ideas can lead to better outcomes in creative tasks. Managers should consider the objective of promoting diverse ideas rather than preserving a single precious idea. This approach can be applied in various settings, such as marketing, management, and communication tasks, to enhance creativity and innovation. The study emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where ideas can adapt and thrive, similar to a biodiverse ecosystem.
#Creativity #Innovation #TeamDynamics #IdeaGeneration
Avoiding the Workplace Mediocrity Trap ??
Research from Rutgers University highlights the risks of workplace exclusion in team-based settings. ?? Teams with high rates of envy often ostracize their best performers, leading these high-achievers to intentionally sabotage productivity. This exclusion can cause frustration and disengagement, turning proactive employees into "bad apples." ?? To prevent these dynamics, employers should recognize and judge each employee on their own merits rather than comparing them to top performers. Encouraging proactive behaviors and creating an inclusive, supportive environment can be a strategic advantage for any business. ????
The study involved 630 workers in 131 workplace teams across various industries in China, including health care, finance, real estate, and manufacturing. Participants worked in teams of three or more, and more than two-thirds of respondents were women. The study found that teams with higher rates of envy were more likely to exclude proactive employees, resulting in greater production deviance. Poorly managed workplace dynamics can lead to significant productivity losses, especially in fast-paced, team-driven environments.
?? Key Findings:
- Exclusion leads to intentional underperformance.
- High rates of envy hurt productivity.
- Inclusive environments drive success.
?? Implications:
To prevent workplace exclusion and its negative effects, employers should create an inclusive and supportive environment where every employee is judged on their own merits. Encouraging proactive behaviors and valuing individual contributions can lead to better team dynamics and overall productivity. In today's workplace, where collaboration and innovation drive success, inclusive and supportive management practices are essential for any business.
#WorkplaceExclusion #TeamPerformance #InclusiveLeadership #EmployeeEngagement
Helping business owners implement transformations in half the time - with a proven systemic method | ex-Board Member | Top-Management Coach and Advisor | Keynote Speaker | Business x Systemic Constellation
2 周Thank you for sharing Mohamed Fayez Monir ! What I have observed: when larger groups interact in a short period of time, ego is put aside and intuition insights are triggered much better. Additionally, judgement is reduced tremendously. In small groups, though, opinion leaders may take the space too much shutting down - unconsciously - diverse perspectives.