Collaborative Intelligence: Thinking with People Who Think Differently

by Dawna Markova, Angie McArthur

A breakthrough book on the transformative power of collaborative thinking
 
Collaborative intelligence, or CQ, is a measure of our ability to think with others on behalf of what matters to us all. It is emerging as a new professional currency at a time when the way we think, interact, and innovate is shifting. In the past, “market share” companies ruled by hierarchy and topdown leadership. Today, the new market leaders are “mind share” companies, where influence is more important than power, and success relies on collaboration and the ability to inspire.

Collaborative Intelligence is the culmination of more than fifty years of original research that draws on Dawna Markova’s background in cognitive neuroscience and her most recent work, with Angie McArthur, as a “Professional Thinking Partner” to some of the world’s top CEOs and creative professionals. Markova and McArthur are experts at getting brilliant yet difficult people to think together. They have been brought in to troubleshoot for Fortune 500 leaders in crisis and managers struggling to inspire their teams.

When asked about their biggest challenges at work, Markova and McArthur’s clients all cite a common problem: other people . This response reflects the way we have been taught to focus on the gulfs between us rather than valuing our intellectual diversity—that is, the ways in which each of us is uniquely gifted, how we process information and frame questions, what kind of things deplete us, and what engages and inspires us. Through a series of practices and strategies, the authors teach us how to recognize our own mind patterns and map the talents of our teams, with the goal of embarking together on an aligned course of action and influence.

In Markova and McArthur’s experience, managers who appreciate intellectual diversity will lead their teams to innovation; employees who understand it will thrive because they are in touch with their strengths; and an entire team who understands it will come together to do their best work in a symphony of collaboration, their individual strengths working in harmony like an orchestra or a high-performing sports team.

Praise for Collaborative Intelligence
 
“Rooted in the latest neuroscience on the nature of collaboration, Collaborative Intelligence celebrates the power of working and thinking together at the highest levels of business and politics, and in the smallest aspects of our everyday lives. Dawna Markova and Angie McArthur show us that our ability to collaborate is not only a measure of intelligence, but essential to solving the world’s problems and seeing the possibilities in ourselves and others.” —Arianna Huffington
 
“This inspiring book teaches you how to align your intention with the intention of others, and how, through shared strengths and talents, you have every right to expect greatness and set the highest goals and expectations.” —Deepak Chopra
 
“Everyone talks about collaboration today, but the rhetoric typically outweighs the reality. Collaborative Intelligence offers tangible tools for those serious about becoming ‘system leaders’ who can close the gap and make collaboration real.” —Peter M. Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline

“I have worked with Markova and McArthur for several years, focusing on achieving better results through intellectual diversity. Their approach has encouraged more candid debate and collaborative behavior within the team. The team, not individuals, becomes the hero.” —Al Carey, CEO, PepsiCo

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Psychology, Self Help, Leadership, Management, Audiobook

384 pages, Hardcover

First published February 10, 2015

About the author

Dawna Markova’s passion awakens through storytelling and finding open questions to help people discover how to love the life they have been given.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The information provided in this book is interesting and useful to leaders and team members alike. It is easy to assume that others think they way you do, but they don't. The authors are not talking about what people value or their thoughts about a specific issue, but rather the actual process of thinking itself. They talk about three different types: V-visual, A-auditory and K-kinesthetic. Depending on which order these three line up for you, you will learn about what helps you to focus or pay attention, what leads you to space out, and what can contribute to making sure you share your talents with others. The authors review the various types (VAK, AVK, KAV...) and what the strengths and weaknesses are for them. They tell stories to illustrate the different types in various scenarios. They also discuss people's talents and the shadow sides of those talents, like being confident, but seen as arrogant.

I found the information to be useful and will refer back to this book as I explore my own type and try to figure out other people's types. As a mother of three and a teacher, I am eager to see how I can discover the children's thinking types with the purpose of helping them achieve their goals and express their talents.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it to become a better collaborator, ended up learning more about myself (VKA). Markova and McArthur's descriptions are freakishly accurate. More resources available online at cqthebook.com.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only made it 1/3 into this book. The authors never cited any published research to support that they (or others) have tested their theories empirically rather than base an entire book on their own anecdotes, which seems to be the case. They provide a large list of characteristics for people with different (or preferred) thinking styles but never explain how they created this list or from where this knowledge was derived.

[Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

The overarching principles range from solid to banal, but the authors are so enamored with their obtuse (and unsubstantiated) theory of “mind patterns” that anything useful seems to take a back seat. If you love parsing initialisms and creating pseudoscientific taxonomies of your coworkers, then this is the book for you. If you are looking for a practical text on growing a collaborative culture with your colleagues, look elsewhere.

[Christine Zibas · Rating 4 out of 5]

So often in our work lives...and too frequently in our personal lives as well...we just can't seem to understand why others behave the way they do. How could they think like that? Why can't they see the things the way we do? These are issues that have existed as long as man has been thinking. The answer, once explained by Authors Dawna Markova and Angie McArthur, seem so apparent that it's a wonder this topic hasn't been explored a million times before.

We think differently. However, it's actually more simple, and at times, more complex, than that. Basically people fall into three different patterns. We all have some of each, but like how we hold our pens, one side is dominant. How I choose to approach something may be completely different than how my boss does. That doesn't mean I'm right and he's wrong, or vice versa. Instead, to truly be a great team, we need to think collaboratively. By understanding how another focuses, we begin to understand better how to communicate our ideas to them (and they with us).

Beyond the three basic types, there are a variety of thinking strengths we possess, as well as their darker attributes. Do you seek excellence? Then your dark side (or shadow) might be never being satisfied. Can you develop good systems of organization? Then you might be too rigid and inflexible. By identifying our strengths (and missing characteristics), we can learn to "think" to our strengths and draw in the help of others for our weaknesses.

This is a fascinating book that has so many more applications than can be detailed here. Needless to say, even before finishing the book, I already had several people I wanted to share these ideas with. Instead of butting heads, these authors are come up with ways to enable us to get out of our own way and help us with with others, where once it seemed so impossible.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Markova offers a whole new approach to understanding thinking, building trust, and communicating with others who have different thinking styles. This book was very different from what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised. I had assumed it would be similar to something like learning styles and would help me to identify my style, but I didn't expect something that would completely change how I communicate with others. I would strongly suggest this book to anyone who leads groups of people and especially those who are responsible for training or educating others.

[Ed Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transforming

I went into this book not sure what to expect. But this book helped me really understand myself more than ever before. Helping me understand how I work and how that helps me collaborate with others. It helped remove the stigma I had put on myself “just focus Ed.” Dawna and Angie also share thoughts about creating future pull and self inquiry.

Anyone who wants to understand how their brain functions needs to read this, and anyone who wants to collaborate more needs this too. In fact, if you are a human this book will enrich you.

[Lee Barry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting takeaways, but I wonder to what extent people would take the time to follow the methodologies, at the expense of project time, or even creating their own ways of working. There's nothing really new here that one couldn't get elsewhere.

Worth marking to-read.

[Free Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant work, provided in an easy to read format.
Download ebook free for your Kindle: http://123link.pw/VHKLqH8 or http://gestyy.com/wl3AQ1

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need a physical copy of this. Such a good reference book. Since I've read it my ability to give advice on productivity has become so much deeper. I'm an AVK

"Each and every one of them taught me that intelligence is a verb, not a noun. As with tending a garden it requires cultivation. All that mattered to me was finding out how they were smart. Only then could I help them bring that capacity to the challenges they faced."

"Imagine a 45 minute phone call with you have never met from around the world. It begins with everyone announcing their thinking talents, their blind-spots and how you can most effectively communicate with them. This would give you, in effect, an operating manual for one another's minds and as the meeting progressed you could easily avoid counterproductive assumptions that you would normally attribute to personality."

Regain focus and the present: write or describe aloud for one full minute all one sense is giving you, switch to another sense for another minute.

VAK was eerily me. https://www.cqthebook.com/meet-the-au...

"To shift your attention from focused to open follow the 1-2-3 sequence of your mindpattern. To shift your mind from open to focused follow the 3-2-1 sequence of your mindpattern."

"You'll have to change your mind. Are you up for that?"

the pizza - have people write down as many ideas as possible for 2 minutes. then shift to the left one space, read what that person wrote and add to it. continue until you've visited all places.

Thinking talents: "Innate ways of thinking. That is you've always been good at doing them even if you never had any specific training and you tend to use them when faced with challenges. You get natural joy and energy from using your thinking talents and you don't burnout. You excel in using these talents and enjoy developing capacities with them." (not skills, personality traits, or other capacities)
Sort into always, sometimes, or never gives me energy.
https://static1.squarespace.com/stati...

"two common assumptions cause us to deny our blind spots. The first is the belief that we should all be competent at everything. The second is the belief that we should be able to think through and solve any issue independently. Both of these beliefs lead to...'skilled mediocrity'."

"Like many of us Nick gave to everyone else what he most needed to give to himself....the only person who didn't have his talents recognized was you. You didn't name a moment of greatness for yourself or allow anyone else to do it either. If you aren't aware specifically of the talents you bring to the game how can you ever develop them to serve others? That's not self-promotion or selfishness. It's simply as author Parker Palmer says 'good stewardship of the gifts you were put on earth to offer'."

4 quadrants of thinking talents: analytical, procedural, relational, innovative

"I knew this very simple suggestion would take him to the edge of his comfort zone. But I had to find out if his desire to be a leader was stronger than his habit of being a boss."

"People...who use 'yes, but' are having an inner tennis match between their mental sweet spot and their blind spot, unable to resolve the difference....the impasse is revolved by replacing 'but' with 'and'."

"We generally present to others in the way that is most natural for us."

"Given what you now know about your capacity what is it that only you can do."

[Zoë Routh · Rating 5 out of 5]

detailed, prescriptive handbook for flexible collaborative thinking

This is a manual for how people think differently, and how we can facilitate conversations and thinking together better.

Having just finished the book, I will now go back and review the models and distinctions, as well as the suggested guiding questions to make use of the strategies in group contexts.

This is a fairly dense and comprehensive handbook, one to be studied and used repeatedly.

Plus, I love the Aikido stories and exercises for embodied aspects of the learning.

[Gordon Kwok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable book about the new frontier for a competitive advantage in this ever so competitive world. The book's main argument is that while IQ and EQ are still very important, the ability to use your CQ (collaborative intelligence quotient) - the ability to work with people who think differently than you can be the game changer for the organization in the long run.

[Richard Pfau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book indicates that different people think differently and by collaborating with them we can overcome our blind spots and weaknesses and develop improved ways of reaching our goals. Four major strategies for doing so are described. Also, three languages of thought (Kinesthetic, Visual, and Auditory) are described and used as a framework for analyzing oneself and other individuals, along with "Thinking Talents" (35 of them) with suggestions for using these in work situations. The framework, however, although valuable for helping understand one's own and others' differences better, seems a bit complicated to apply and use; it is also based, apparently, on the authors' experience rather than scientific verification. The main ideas concerning collaboration with others, however, are worth considering and using and I found the book to be a worthwhile read.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was interesting and well-written, but drier and less usable in an everyday way than I had hoped. Using their guidelines, it was easy to figure out what kind of thinker I am, but in order to really use the ideas in this book, you'd have to know what kind of thinker everyone else you're working with is. I don't have that luxury, because I don't always work with the same team on the same kinds of projects. I can see where it would be helpful for a company to hire the authors to come and assess their employees, rework the meeting spaces, and give ideas about how to have more productive meetings, but I just wanted to know what I can do to be more productive in meetings. This is not that book.

[Scott Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about recognising the different mind patterns we all have – basically, the unique and specific way we process information – and using those to work and think better with others. The authors identify six unique mind patterns, each determined by how the languages of thought (visual, kinesthetic [hands-on], and auditory) shift our three different states of attention – the means by which we handle and process information. They also looks at your thinking talents; your inquiry style and how to shift your own and other people's mindset. They make a lot of observation sense. Transferring the knowledge into action and results may be harder to achieve.

[Robert Bogue · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one is as smart as all of us – sometimes that’s very true and sometimes not. What makes people work together in a way where all their talents are expanded instead of diminished? That’s the idea behind Collaborative Intelligence: Thinking with People Who Think Differently. It’s another tome in the quest to find the best way to work with one another.

Click here to read the full review

[Felipe CZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I find some of the ideas utopian or naive, this book tells us that value is not just placed on things, but also on ideas, making collaboration one of the most important skills. There are different types of attention, like focused attention (concentrated on o ne entity and ignoring everything else), sorting (shifting between internal and external), open (diffuse focus); and different types of thinking, like analytical (data, facts) and relational (feelings, morale). So in order to work together effectively, it is essential to understand your own and your teammates' ways of working.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book that describes how different people think, and how to move from a "market-share" to a "mind-share" mindset. The three key aspects of mind-share are attention, intention, and imagination. Analytic, procedural, innovative, and relational thinking are all valued equally, and difference is not seen as a deficit, but rather as a resource. Instead of asking who is right and who is wrong, ask what can be possible.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

She spent a lot of time trying to itemize all of the different ways people think and communicate, which seemed to miss the point. Had good moments where she talked about the overarching idea (that everyone thinks differently and that's a good thing and here's how to make the best of those relationships) but I would have liked it if she spent more time focused on strategies rather than definitions.

[Lorenzo Barberis Canonico · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great addition to the list of books advocating for a serious appreciation for cognitive diversity. Lots of interesting concepts along with psychometrics (which I am a huge sucker for) to work through the conflict that emerges from diverse minds coming together. At times the salesmanship was not subtle ("the things I learned from working with hundreds of CEOs..."), yet it was outweighed by how accessible the writing was.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0 I really enjoyed this book. Super helpful information. I listened to the audiobook then purchased the book in order to have all the exercises (since I didn't see them all on the website as promised). Really insightful information about how to work with others who have different styles than you. Specific information for managers of folks, too; good stories, interesting, helpful stuff!

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't give this a good review because I found it awful to listen to in audiobook format. It _might_ be better when reading with the information in front of me, but to be honest, what I heard wasn't that impressive to me, so I likely won't bother.

[Kelly Nezat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. I believe the concept of collaborative intelligence is leading the way to the next level of our immersion in the information age and our movement back towards interdependence and cooperation.

[Jordan Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely practical book about working together with people who think differently. This is worth picking up just to better understand how you think best. Also a great read for leaders interested in guiding teams to higher and higher levels of collaboration and achievement.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The books feels a bit slow but the concept and thinking behind is amazing. Game changer for how to put teams together!

[Sara McGuyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...#

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

So intriguing...I listened to it and have since checked out the book so I can have another go...

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Markova provides rich resources for working collaboratively and leading organizations to do the same. Very timely for a market that is moving towards necessary collaboration. Recommended.

[Jaquelyn Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many interesting thoughts on thinking behavior both personally and while working in a group setting.

[Susan]

Started listening to this audio book and was very interested in the content but it reads like a list. Would be better to just read the book so you can also apply the material from the website.