Looking to boost task performance? Discover what collective intelligence is and how to cultivate it in your workplace.
Understanding Collective Intelligence
Collective intelligence refers to a group’s collective ability to tackle a wide range of tasks and solve diverse problems. The concept is rooted in the idea that when people collaborate, they can achieve a level of intelligence and problem-solving capacity that surpasses what they could accomplish individually.
Research shows that collective intelligence is a stronger predictor of group performance than the intelligence levels of individual members. However, the question that continues to intrigue researchers is: if individual intelligence isn’t the key factor, what drives collective intelligence in a group?
Factors Influencing Collective Intelligence
Interestingly, factors traditionally linked to group performance—such as cohesion, motivation, and satisfaction—do not significantly contribute to collective intelligence. Instead, research has identified the following key elements:
- Limited Correlation with Individual Intelligence: Collective intelligence is not strongly related to either the average or the highest intelligence levels within the group.
- Social Sensitivity as a Key Predictor: The strongest indicator of collective intelligence is the average social sensitivity of group members, which also predicts better group task performance.
- Equality in Participation: Groups that practice equal and fair turn-taking during discussions show higher levels of collective intelligence.
- Gender Composition Matters: Collective intelligence tends to be higher in groups with a greater proportion of women, likely due to their typically higher levels of social sensitivity.
What does this mean? It suggests that a group’s performance is less about the individual intelligence of its members and more about the group’s level of social sensitivity and the fairness with which tasks and decision-making power are shared. The correlation between collective intelligence and the proportion of women in the group is thought to stem from the other factors—such as women’s tendency to enhance social sensitivity and promote equitable participation within the group.
Strategies to Improve Your Team’s Collective Intelligence
Based on these findings and additional research on collective intelligence, there are several actions leaders can take to enhance their teams’ collective intelligence.
The first step is to acknowledge that the most effective teams are those with high social sensitivity, characterized by strong emotional awareness and regulation. These qualities enable team members to maintain motivation, handle disagreements productively, and foster better communication and creativity within the group.
Leadership can guide the team to understand that collective intelligence thrives when everyone is given the opportunity to actively participate and engage in the decision-making and performance processes.
Start meetings with check-ins to understand how everyone is feeling. During decision-making, ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute and that there is consensus on the decision. Actively seek input from quieter team members to include their perspectives.
Lastly, when assembling a team, prioritize diversity by including a balanced mix of genders and a variety of skills. This approach enhances perspectives and strengthens the team’s collective intelligence.