Ensemble Intelligence

When we pool our talents, insights, and experiences, we can achieve great things.

Working together, we discover who we are – as individuals, larger groups and communities.

In a collaboration, we not only give and receive gifts. We transform our ideas and create something bigger than would otherwise be possible.

Experts on leadership and organizational development often use the term “hive mind” to refer to the unique kind of intelligence that emerges when individuals work closely together in a single coordinated group.

Hives – which are found in human teams as well as in other species – leverage decentralized decision making, division of labor, robust communication practices and swarm intelligence to accomplish extraordinary things.

But hives are limited by fixed structures and rigid hierarchies, and human teams organized on the hive model rarely allow for the kinds of interaction that lead to the development of new ideas. Individuals in the hive may observe and even express opinions on decisions, but they seldom reflect or seek to redirect.

Ensemble teams work differently.  

Unlike hives, ensembles cultivate the creative flow that powers innovation, by leveraging two fundamental strengths of human intelligence – our ability to tell stories that share our thoughts and discoveries with others, and our capacity to build skill and knowledge-based hierarchies.   The result is an ensemble intelligence whose impact can last for generations.

As you explore your Ensemble Intelligence, take advantage of some of the readings, videos, and activities in this module. Read them in the order presented or skip around. Read them in one sitting or explore one a day. Explore them alone or join a group of peers in the program.

Using this site: For instructions on how to get access to the restricted-access material for this program, click here.