Collaborative Intelligence summary

If you were asked to define the word attention it would be a piece of cake, right? Think again, because this common word actually breaks down into three forms.

That’s because attention dictates what and who you notice, but also regulates the information flow within yourself and that between you and others. Not just that, but you can aim it, follow it or shift it, depending on your intentions.

When you think of a lemon, what comes to mind? Most people would say the color yellow, a citrusy smell as well as the shape and feel of the fruit. But which came easiest to you?

Your answer depends on the three perceptual channels that profoundly affect the way humans process information. Because when you thought about a lemon you actually experienced three distinct sensations: kinesthetic, meaning the way a lemon feels, visual, or the printed word “lemon” as well as the bright color of the fruit, and finally auditory, or hearing the word “lemon” in your head.

Have you ever had a colleague whose words you just couldn’t seem to follow? The root of this difficulty might be a mere difference of mind patterns. So, it’s key to understand your own mind pattern and the tools you need for effective communication.

If you find yourself needing to move around to focus and see your attention drifting when people speak, it might be helpful to have a whiteboard handy on which you can jot down notes following a conversation. Or you might benefit from taking small breaks of silence during meetings to allow yourself the space to think things through on your own.

Do people ever ask how you got so good at what you do? Most people can’t think of any response other than, “I don’t know, I just do it.” However, there could be a neat explanation and it’s got everything to do with thinking talents – your innate capacity to think in ways that boost your mental energy.

In fact, there are 35 different talents and each human has approximately five of them, which together make up their unique form of intelligence. Some have a talent for creating intimacy – it’s easy for them to forge deep relationships with others. Other people are good at making order and enjoy sorting different variables. People like this dive head first into confusing situations and organize them. A third talent is taking charge, which describes people who motivate others to action. They might be bosses and generally feel comfortable confronting others when necessary.

Are you always having fantastic ideas but rarely getting the opportunity to execute them? Or do you lack good ideas but seem to end up being the one who actually does something? Well, the category you fall into could relate to your preferred way of knowing and approaching challenges – also known as your cognitive style.

What’s that?

How long does it take you to admit your ignorance when you're faced with an idea you don't know the answer to? People who take a long time to fess up in such situations might benefit from knowing that intelligence is not something people are born with, but something we develop.

That’s because thinking that intelligence is fixed makes people feel like they’ve got to know everything and hide what they don’t so people will think they’re smart. The inverse of this approach is what psychologists call a growth mind-set – the perspective that intelligence evolves and that challenges are learning opportunities.

Have you ever been in a meeting where it felt like nothing was getting accomplished? Well, there’s a way to avoid this situation and it’s all about success-based and intentional questions. Questions like these can be just the thing to get you or your team moving when you’re stalled or overwhelmed.

Here’s how they work.

Capturing a group’s attention is a good feeling. So, how can you prevent them from losing interest?

By aligning your attention with that of your team, which means focusing on the present and accounting for individual differences. In a meeting you can draw everyone’s attention by identifying the different assets and skills in the room. You might do so by recounting each person’s past contributions and what they are each good at.