Is your fingerprint unique or is it just like everyone else’s? Without even know you I know what your answer will be. Why would the FBI keep a database of fingerprints if they were not unique enough to identify every person on the planet?
One of the books I’ve read recently is Idiot Brain by Dean Burnett and one statement in there struck this chord with me. If we assume and accept the concept that we each have a unique fingerprint that’s simply made up of a few swirls, curves and lines, why would we think that two brains that are infinitely more complex than a fingerprint reach the same conclusion or see things in exactly the same way or start with a common set of beliefs and assumptions. That’s ridiculous.
We are complex, messy human beings. Our backgrounds and experiences are all different. And if we are complex, messy human beings, how much more so is a team of people.
I remember working with one team when the first day of a three-day team building session was a disaster. I couldn’t sleep at all that night. All night I kept running through the issues and looking for the cause of their inability to come together as a team. I would think to myself, they’re smart, they’re experienced, they’re well intentioned, what’s the problem. Smart, experienced, well intentioned… Smart, experienced, well intentioned… Finally, about 4am it hit me. They’re smart! That was the issue. For every problem that hit the table, they could almost instantly come up with a list of variables that was overwhelming. And then, because they were smart, they would be totally convinced that they’re personal view of the issue was the only correct view. After all, they were smart.
We are complex, messy people who make up even more complex and messy teams. So how do we cope?
Aristotle in his four levels of happiness describes level 4 (the highest level of happiness) happens when there is Truth, Love, Beauty and Unity.
Truth
In a team we must have great respect for each person’s perspective. We’re complex, messy people. Each of us has a perspective that is true as far as we can see. Honoring the fact that each person has a perspective that should be understood and valued is the first step.
Love
The concept being used today that would most closely parallels what Aristotle was implying is Psychological Safety. When the team environment is psychologically safe, there is great respect for each other, confrontation of ideas is often and easy, everyone takes responsibility for group decisions, the team talks openly about mistakes and problems, not just successes and above all, there is a lot of humor and laughter.
Beauty
The word used here refers to elegance and simplicity. Smart people tend to make things more complex. Wise people tend to simplify.
Unity
After hearing everyone’s perspective on an issue, demonstrating the patience and kindness it takes to fully understand and integrate those perspectives and then simplifying the issue down to the basic core, unity has a much better chance of being accomplished. Teams that build great unity are the happiest (and most productive).
We’re complex, messy people. It takes a great process to get at the “truth”, great love to appreciate and understand each person’s perspective, a great effort to simplify things to their most elegant form (a lot more energy and brain power than it does to make things complex) and a great desire to move forward in unity. But it also provides great happiness.