Review of September 30, 2015
Passive empathy and listening help make groups productive
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Reporter: Pete DeLaunay
President Sue opened the day’s meeting with Mike Colbrese leading the anthem, ‘America the Beautiful,’ accompanied by Ken Grant on the piano and followed by Todd Summerfelt with the invocation. The meeting was preceded with committee information and sign-up tables where Rotarians could learn about committee good works and select where they would like to serve.
Reporter: Pete DeLaunay
President Sue opened the day’s meeting with Mike Colbrese leading the anthem, ‘America the Beautiful,’ accompanied by Ken Grant on the piano and followed by Todd Summerfelt with the invocation. The meeting was preceded with committee information and sign-up tables where Rotarians could learn about committee good works and select where they would like to serve.
Fellow Rotarian Craig Wright came to the podium to express his feelings of gratitude following a serious cycling injury he sustained eight weeks ago. He said the team at Harborview, support from his wife Heidi and the box of 120 cards from Rotarians wishing him a speedy recovery were all emotional ‘jolts’ that were just ‘amazing.’
The day’s program featured Dr. John Medina, UW medicine affiliate faculty and expert in human brain development, who came to the podium and said, “We don’t know much about how the brain works.” Dr. Medina is ‘skeptical’ about applying brain science to business practice. His remarks centered around two primary principles: Theory of Mind and the C-Factor.
“What is obvious to you, is obvious to you,” he began by describing the ‘Theory of Mind’ as the ability to attribute beliefs and desires to one another and understand that your beliefs and desires may not resonate with others. He cited Ernest Hemingway’s shortest novel as a six-word want-ad: “For sale – baby shoes – never used.” While some listeners hear ‘shoes for sale,’ others who may have experienced a child’s death take the six words more seriously based on their ‘Theory of Mind.’
He said there are three ‘theories of mind’ at play: socially powerful that can be used for good or ill (pro-sociality) as in passive empathy; improved or uncovered abilities in people such as those with autism or an absence of ‘Theory of Mind’; and how Theory of Mind is increasing expressed.
His remarks then moved to the problem solving where in lab tests groups tend to be smarter than individuals. “There are standard deviations in this work because some groups just aren’t good,” he said. “Groups that solve problems typically have a high C-Factor.”
The more successful/productive C-Factor group problem solving follows the ‘Theory of Mind’ concept. C-Factor groups have three primary components: they have high ‘Theory of Mind’ awareness; lab videos show these groups ‘don’t interrupt’ one another so there’s no ‘domination’; and the real bombshell in his view is that productive groups have more women engaged in the conversation.
High-functioning groups result from the presence of women who, he says, have high social sensitivity and can see more of the landscape than men. “Businesses where males dominate and do not have women in the group challenges the ability to solve problems,” he concluded. “Be empathetic and listen – don’t try to fix – just listen.”
The day’s program featured Dr. John Medina, UW medicine affiliate faculty and expert in human brain development, who came to the podium and said, “We don’t know much about how the brain works.” Dr. Medina is ‘skeptical’ about applying brain science to business practice. His remarks centered around two primary principles: Theory of Mind and the C-Factor.
“What is obvious to you, is obvious to you,” he began by describing the ‘Theory of Mind’ as the ability to attribute beliefs and desires to one another and understand that your beliefs and desires may not resonate with others. He cited Ernest Hemingway’s shortest novel as a six-word want-ad: “For sale – baby shoes – never used.” While some listeners hear ‘shoes for sale,’ others who may have experienced a child’s death take the six words more seriously based on their ‘Theory of Mind.’
He said there are three ‘theories of mind’ at play: socially powerful that can be used for good or ill (pro-sociality) as in passive empathy; improved or uncovered abilities in people such as those with autism or an absence of ‘Theory of Mind’; and how Theory of Mind is increasing expressed.
His remarks then moved to the problem solving where in lab tests groups tend to be smarter than individuals. “There are standard deviations in this work because some groups just aren’t good,” he said. “Groups that solve problems typically have a high C-Factor.”
The more successful/productive C-Factor group problem solving follows the ‘Theory of Mind’ concept. C-Factor groups have three primary components: they have high ‘Theory of Mind’ awareness; lab videos show these groups ‘don’t interrupt’ one another so there’s no ‘domination’; and the real bombshell in his view is that productive groups have more women engaged in the conversation.
High-functioning groups result from the presence of women who, he says, have high social sensitivity and can see more of the landscape than men. “Businesses where males dominate and do not have women in the group challenges the ability to solve problems,” he concluded. “Be empathetic and listen – don’t try to fix – just listen.”
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