Last week I had the opportunity to be a keynote speaker at the Collaboration Forum – a one-day conference for local nonprofit agencies, board members, and volunteers. I presented a short talk on volunteer management and our local database of volunteer opportunities. I enjoyed the conference and all the keynote speakers were very informative and interesting.
The first keynote by Delia Horwitz and Paula Vigneault focused on collaboration. Delia and Paula have written a book called Collaboration Soup. It is “a six-step recipe for co-creative meetings and other conversations.” Here is an overview of the six steps:
- Ready to Go
- Engage Your Group
- Cook the Conversation
- Integrate the Ideas
- Plan the Action
- End with Clarity
The part of the presentation I enjoyed the most was the description of how the brain works to help or hinder the collaboration process. Most of us know instinctually that setting the tone of a meeting (serving food, having a comfortable temperature, arranging the seating) can greatly impact the success of the meeting. The authors explained how scientific discoveries about the brain support this generally accepted finding.
The amygdala, which is a part of our primitive brain, is constantly monitoring incoming signals to determine whether or not we are in danger. When the amygdala senses danger, it triggers the “fight or flight” response. Some physical indicators of this response are faster breathing and increased heart rate. When we are in “flight or flight” mode we tend to perceive everything in our environment as a threat to our survival.
It is impossible to be collaborative when the amygdala is sending signals that we are under attack. Even without realizing the physical responses, when our amygdala senses danger it automatically triggers survival thinking and behaviors. We begin to protect and look out for our own self interests, focus on self preservation, and engage in judging and blaming behaviors. In order to calm the amygdala and create the conditions for collaboration, we can engage the five senses. We can play soft music, serve food, ensure that people are able to make eye contact, and check that the temperature is comfortable.
In order for collaboration to take place, we have to make sure the amygdala does not take over and we have to engage the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is like the central command station of the brain. It can override the amygdala by sending signals that say, “It’s ok, I can see the whole picture and we are not really in danger.” When the PFC is engaged, we are able to have empathy and compassion for others. It allows us to notice and care about the impact of our behavior on others. It also helps us tune in to our intuition and insight.
What does this mean for student development? As Student Affairs professionals, we often engage in collaboration with other departments on campus; as we should, since collaboration is a great way to create an outcome that is greater than the sum of its parts. Therefore, it is helpful to understand the conditions which allow people to talk with each other in respectful ways and allow them to imagine a different future.
We also need to learn to turn down our own “fight or flight” response. We can do this in two ways – changing our external environment or changing our perception of our environment. First, we can change our external environment by surrounding ourselves with people who care for us, removing ourselves from hostile environments, and creating a life around a sense of purpose. Next, we can change our perception of our environment by learning to engage our PFC, learning not to take things personally, choosing our attitude, and taking control of our emotional reactions to the events that happen to us. Part of changing our perception is to view the difficulties of life as opportunities or events that will make us stronger and more loving.
For more information about the book Collaboration Soup visit their website at http://collaborationsoup.com/.
How do you set the table for collaboration?
I set the table by asking that a meeting be held in an unusual location, not the power-holder’s office, for example. Choosing where you are in the room can make a difference. Standing rather than sitting, placing yourself next to allies or daring to sit right next to someone with whom you have had differences can be effective. Vowing to listen more and speak less for a change, or to repeat an idea, or be more inclusive to those reticent to speak in a meeting can all help equalize the discussion.
STRAWS………..very unpredictable…who wud hav known!!!..lLOL