Three Minutes Leadership: the Power of Collective Thinking
To: The Great Leaders who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
Joseph Jaworski, author, in his book, Synchronicity – the Inner Path of Leadership, writes about his work with David Bohm, American-born British quantum physicist, and their study of “dialogue: the collective power of thinking.” Bohm believed that “… humans have an innate capacity for collective intelligence. They can learn and think together, and this collaborative thought can lead to coordinated action.” Through Jaworski’s leadership eye he saw greater meaning in Bohm’s words – he saw this collective dialogue among individuals as highly effective leadership. Bohm in his book, On Dialogue, helps us feel the sensation that happens in the magical moments of true dialogue:
“From time to time, (the) tribe (gathered) in a circle. They just talked and talked and talked, apparently to no purpose. They made no decisions. There was no leader. And everybody could participate. There may have been wise men or wise women who were listened to a bit more – the older ones- but everybody could talk. The meeting went on, until it finally seemed to stop for no reason at all and the group dispersed. Yet after that, everybody seemed to know what to do, because they understood each other so well. Then they could get together in smaller groups and do something or decide things.”
But what caused this alignment? What was happening that helped people come to a common understanding? Bohm described the dialogue process as “the free flow of meaning among all participants.” When this happens, Jaworski found that the magic happened. He writes: “…you’re not building anything, you’re allowing the whole that exists to become manifest. It’s a deep shift in consciousness away from the notion that parts are the primary.” It is about “seeing things whole” – seeing the big picture. What a beautiful and exciting new way of seeing things – achieving focused alignment around the collective whole, not looking internally, but at the world around us. Remember the caution of Carlos Casteneda, author: “The internal dialogue is what grounds people in the daily world. The world is such and such or so and so, only because we talk to ourselves about its being such and such and so and so. The passageway into the world of shamans opens up after the warrior has learned to shut off his internal dialogue.” In your life, be the great warrior who chooses to “see things whole’… who sees the full beauty and richness of the world and everyone around us.
Have a beautiful day and a fantastic week!!!
Mike
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