What remains unchanged: Collaboration and Human Connections

Hey! ????

Wondering what will change in the future of architecture and technology in the next 10 years?

Well, probably a whole lot.

But with Mercedes Carriquiry, IA. AIA , we also like to think about what will remain unchanged.

And the answer to this question is very simple: People.

A few months ago, we stood up in front of some of the most respected leaders within the AEC industry intersecting with technology.

We were invited to participate in the Large Firm Roundtable - CIO Committee event in Savannah, Georgia to discuss what was foremost for us to pay attention to, regarding the future of the industry and technological advances.

Obviously, most of the conversations revolved around AI.

But for us, it’s not so straightforward as we always tend to see beyond buzzwords.

So, we stopped for a second and thought, there are some key aspects that won’t change at all. Actually, they are going to be tested and shown defective if we don’t put them at the center of the conversation now.

I’m talking about the capacity of us humans to collaborate and connect.

We need to focus on humans using new technology, rather than focus on the tools itself.

BINGO.

Let me share some of the key insights we went over:

1. The ultimate technology

2. Brain-wired for connection

Let's break each of these down step-by-step. ??

1. The ultimate technology

Research tells us that collaborative teams outperform non-collaborative teams, as 麦肯锡 and the The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) indicate.?

????Collaborative teams thrive on open communication, effective knowledge sharing, and working together towards common goals. In contrast, non-collaborative teams operate in silos, with limited communication and cooperation among members.

A fascinating fact is that the human ability to collaborate and cooperate is what got us here in the first place.

Early theories often focused on factors such as individual intelligence, the use of tools, and dietary changes such as the use of fire to make food more digestible (which, in turn, increased brain size), as primary drivers of human evolution.?

However, starting in the 1980s, researchers studying human origins began seeing these factors as secondary.

According to this emerging consensus, humans evolved under conditions where?ecological pressures forced them to develop advanced forms of cooperation.

If we consider Peter Thiel’s definition of technology as: “any new and better way of doing things”, we can confidently say that the ultimate technology is, in fact, human cooperation.

Cooperation allowed our ancestors to progress rapidly by acquiring new modes of working together.

Once you see the role of cooperation in human life, you can't unsee it.

“The real difference between us and chimpanzees is the mysterious glue that enables millions of humans to cooperate effectively." - Yuval Noah Harari

All other animals use their communication system only to describe reality. Humans, in contrast, use their language not merely to describe reality but also to create new, fictional realities.

Those fictional realities can create a common alignment.

This 'social technology' of cooperation is perhaps the most powerful tool we have to this day, underpinning every major human achievement and continuing to be the bedrock of innovation.

2. Brain-wired for Connection

How, then, does this ability for connection work?

????Turns out, our brains are hard-wired for it: Daniel Goleman 's groundbreaking work on emotional intelligence (EQ) and social intelligence (SQ) provides a scientific basis for the power of collaboration.

EQ and SQ

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage our own emotions, and to recognize and influence the emotions of others around us.

In an industry that's constantly moving towards the next technological breakthrough, it's the human element—our ability to connect on a deep, emotional level—that remains our most powerful tool.

Goleman's exploration into emotional intelligence revealed a compelling statistic: Emotional intelligence accounts for nearly 90% of what sets high performers apart from peers with similar technical skills and knowledge.

90%.

??Not only that, but teams with highly emotionally intelligent leaders have been shown to experience?a 21% increase in productivity compared to those without.

Then, there is SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE, or the ability to navigate complex social environments and foster positive relationships. A term also coined by Goleman in his 2006 book with the same name.

Studies demonstrate that individuals with high social intelligence are better at building collaborative networks, essential for innovation.

Moreover, social intelligence is critical for effective leadership, collaboration, and relationship-building? in both personal and professional contexts.

It complements emotional intelligence, focusing more on interpersonal interactions and the understanding of complex social dynamics.

BOOM.

There you have it, people and how we interact with each other are more critical to success than any catalytic technological tool.

EQ and SQ are the linchpins of innovation, leadership, and team productivity.

By nurturing these competencies, organizations can foster collaborative networks, enhance innovation and build stronger, more resilient teams capable of navigating the complexities of modern professional environments.

As we continue to advance technologically, it's the human element—our ability to connect, understand, and influence on a deeply emotional and social level—that remains our most invaluable asset, redefining success in business and culture alike.

But, this doesn’t end here.

There is more.???

Mirroring and memes

Let's jump into some mind-blowing concepts for a second.

Did you know that memes are more than just your daily dose of internet laughter?

You can check out one of my previous articles: Memes & Minds: Collaboration!

They’re units that we’ve historically used to carry cultural information, such as ideas, beliefs, and patterns of behavior, that can be transmitted from one person to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena.

??Memes are the cultural counterpart of genes in biological evolution.

And this has been hard-wired into our brains.?

Mirror neurons are special brain cells that get activated both when you do something yourself and when you watch someone else do the same thing. Let's say you're clapping your hands: mirror neurons would fire up not only when you're clapping but also when you see someone else clapping.

WOW, right? ??

This makes them unique because most other brain cells only react to either doing something yourself or watching someone else do it, not both. So, mirror neurons help your brain understand and mimic actions you see others doing.

This mirroring process is the neurological foundation for empathy, understanding, and even the deep human capacity to learn from and connect with each other.?

For example, imitating someone else’s facial expressions is so hardwired, that one-month-old babies are already smiling or sticking out their tongues when they observe someone else doing the same.

In sum, both memes and mirror neurons showcase how we are built for connection - our brains light up when connecting with others.???

How does all of this get applied practically?

弗若斯特沙利文公司 developed a framework to measure collaboration and its impact on performance: The Global Collaboration Index.

Let's break it down:

On one hand, they operationalized collaboration into two components:

1. Collaboration Capability ??
2. Collaboration Quality ??

And on the other hand, they measured performance via quantitative and qualitative dimensions:

1. Profitability
2. Profit growth
3. Sales growth
4. Labor productivity
5. Product development
6. Product quality
7. Customer satisfaction
8. Innovation

Let’s dive a little deeper into the components of collaboration.?

?? Collaboration Capability refers to how well an organization can work together effectively, its orientation and infrastructure to collaborate. It influences the ability to compete tomorrow.

Very briefly, this capability is characterized by an open entrepreneurial culture that is applied to a decentralized organizational structure and is employed across a wide breadth of interactive strategic planning.

??Collaboration Quality is about how effectively the elements for Collaboration Capability are put into action. High-quality collaboration involves a wide range of interactions, within and outside the organization and it’s characterized by deep, frequent, and intense collaboration experiences.

Remember the discussion about culture and memes?

????????????Memes are the cultural counterpart of genes - they drive behavior. They are the DNA of our organization.

A cultural artifact is a meme within an organization. One that gets materialized.

These are the REAL, tangible behaviors that are passed along and seen within the organization.

These artifacts promote certain behaviors that support collaboration.

And when that happens, change is embraced.

"Culture is not HR, it is who we are.”

Culture beats technology: the only way to make new and better things is to create a culture that follows the right assumptions for change.

Takeaways & Conclusions

In an era where technology rapidly reshapes our lives and work, the enduring strength of human collaboration remains our most potent tool for innovation. ??

The collective wisdom, diversity of thought, and shared purpose found in collaborative efforts — drive progress unattainable by individuals working alone.

?As we’ve see:

"Together, we are more than the sum of our parts".?

The research and teachings of emotional and social intelligence remind us that the ability to understand, empathize, and connect with others is not just a soft skill but a critical driver of success and innovation.

By cultivating these skills, we not only enhance our well-being but also elevate our collective ability to solve complex problems.?

>>>>>This teaches us that the heart of innovation lies not in technology alone but in our capacity to connect on a human level, fostering environments where creativity and collaboration flourish.

As we face industry challenges and strive for a better future, embracing and enhancing our cooperative nature is not just beneficial—it's essential.

These takeaways serve as a beacon. They guide us towards a future where the emphasis is on:

• Human connections
• Emotional and social intelligence
• Cooperation

This shapes not only the architecture and technology industries but all facets of human endeavor, and inspires us to recommit to the unchanged foundational human values that drive progress.

And through collaboration, we can achieve unprecedented heights.??

>>>By focusing on these 3 insights— human connections, EQ and SQ, cooperation —you can position your architecture firm for long-term success.

I've spent countless hours learning from the best in the AEC industry, and I've distilled these insights into actionable steps for your firm.

Here’s how you can apply these insights:

1. Identify clear strategies from these insights.
2. Reverse-engineer these strategies into actionable plans.
3. Implement these plans and adjust as necessary to fit your firm’s needs.

In no time, you can create a thriving, future-ready firm!

Well, that's it for me today. Hope you found this helpful.

Let's win together ??

Andy

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