317: What Bees Can Teach Us About Ourselves and Our Group Intelligence with Siobhan McHale

In today’s episode, Heather chats with Siobhan McHale, author of “The Hive Mind at Work-Harnessing the Power of Group Intelligence to Create Meaningful and Lasting Change”. 

 

Siobhan shares how her childhood interest in bees led her to see the similarities and differences between group dynamics at work and how bees work together. She shares how she’s used this new way of looking at group intelligence to turn the ANZ Bank in Australia from the worst-performing bank in the country to the number-one-performing bank. 

 

Her nine laws of group dynamics are an important way to understand groups and how they work, and her LENS approach to making changes in teams. Ultimately, Siobhan makes the case that IQ and even EQ don’t matter as much as GQ–group intelligence in group settings. 

 

In this insightful episode, you'll discover:  

• Introduction to the Hive Mind Concept - 

Heather introduces the episode by discussing her fascination with bees and the metaphor of the hive mind, setting the stage for a deep dive into group dynamics with Siobhan McHale.

• ANZ Bank's Turnaround Experience -

Siobhan shares her experience with the ANZ Bank, detailing how it transformed from the worst-performing bank in Australia to the top performer by applying principles of the hive mind.

• Overview of the Nine Laws of Group Dynamics -

Siobhan McHale introduces the nine laws of group dynamics, emphasizing their relevance across various ecosystems, including organizations, teams, and communities.

• Connectedness and Ripple Effects - 

Siobhan highlights the interconnectedness of ecosystems and how changes in one area can ripple through and affect others.

• Understanding Current Reality Before Change -

The importance of assessing the current reality before making changes is discussed, illustrated by a case study of a manager's misinterpretation of the root causes of customer dissatisfaction.

• Living Group Values - 

Siobhan and Heather both stress the significance of leaders embodying their organization's values to maintain credibility and trust among team members.

• Four Leadership Roles - 

This exciting episode explores the four key leadership roles: delivery leader, performance coach, business strategist, and change leader, discussing how leaders can embody these roles in different situations.

 

Here’s a link for more information about Siobhan and where to find her book 

 

Siobhan’s book choice was Our Iceberg Is Melting by John Kotter

 

Her song is Eye of the Tiger by Survivor

 

In this episode for Libsyn: 

[00:04] - Introduction to the Hive Mind

[04:26] - ANZ Bank's Turnaround Experience

[07:22] - Nine Laws of Group Dynamics

[09:24] - Connectedness and Ripple Effects

[14:30] - Understanding Current Reality Before Change

[18:33] -  Living Group Values

[20:00]  - Four Leadership Roles

 

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