Human Cooperation Vs. Collaborative intelligence in the workplace

How can collaborative intelligence improve teamwork?

Collaboration is more difficult than ever with hybrid and remote working on the rise, more complex workflows, and new technologies being introduced. However, the data shows that employees are spending 50% more time Cooperating with their colleagues for ten years. The same research found that only 3% to 5% of a company’s workforce does the majority of collaborative work, which can cause burnout and prompt those employees to leave their jobs. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes into play. Machines can help people understand complex concepts and analyze millions of data in a few minutes. However, organizations must determine how humans can best use machines to support their activities. Read this article to explore the principles of collaborative intelligence in the workplace and how to benefit from it.

Basic principles of human cooperation in the workplace

Teams need to communicate

Many people believe that great minds need to work independently in order to innovate. However, this idea couldn’t be further from the truth. A person can be blinded by their own biases and misconceptions when working independently. Teamwork helps exchange ideas and information and leads to better decision making. But putting a group of people on the same team without serious consideration or effort is not productive. Leaders must foster trust within the team so that everyone feels free to express themselves and take risks. All team members must commit to the same goal and respect each other. This way, when they reach their ultimate goal, they share a sense of pride that further deepens their bond.

Collaboration must be carefully crafted

In the past, team members would gather around a conference table and share their ideas. Nowadays, workplace collaboration has expanded beyond strict office jobs and can be done remotely through video conferencing. Organizations must carefully design collaborative experiences for employees to advance their work and build innovative concepts. For example, leaders should highlight each employee’s strengths and set clear expectations regarding their performance. Additionally, everyone should feel part of a community where they are free to communicate honestly and creatively. But none of this matters if leaders do not demonstrate a collaborative spirit. They should lead by example and share their insights and knowledge with the team to encourage everyone to behave similarly.

People must know how to build trust

If leaders want to foster a cohesive and collaborative work environment, they must help foster trusting relationships among colleagues. To do this, everyone must feel free to share thoughts and opinions regarding work-related matters and possibly personal information. However, you should avoid oversharing so that no one feels uncomfortable. Additionally, depending on the type of information they need to share, employees should use the appropriate medium. For example, a more personal ad can be delivered through direct messages or one-on-one video calls. On the other hand, a completely professional conversation can be conducted over email.

Leaders must understand team dynamics

Team success depends largely on the project leaders and how well they understand the team dynamics. No team can succeed without dependability, which means all employees can depend on each other. Through collaborative workplace intelligence, leaders clearly define shared goals and how each member contributes to achieving them. In addition, leadership figures need to know each team member and understand what motivates and energizes them. They may also have certain differences that everyone must respect. A team that knows and respects its diversity can reduce friction while working together to achieve common goals.

Hubs, bridges and networks

These three categories of people can be found on any team. Interviewers are usually colleagues with whom everyone talks. Maybe they are very social individuals and like to get to know everyone. A bridge is a person who connects two or more people who do not necessarily communicate often. For example, two professionals may need to collaborate on a particular project but have never worked together. Tensions and misunderstandings may arise, so a bridge ensures smooth cooperation. Finally, a networker is usually a leader or manager who organizes the team and knows a little about everyone and their individual needs. They can also form a team of colleagues, depending on the help each needs for a particular project.

How can we benefit from collaborative intelligence in the workplace?

Humans must train machines

Machines can be trained much faster than humans. Detailed information and directions must be built into their algorithms so they know which actions to perform and in what way. AI programs need to be taught how to interact with humans while maintaining certain behaviors. For example, some of the most popular AI assistants have been taught to be empathetic, compassionate, helpful, and confident without being bossy. To make such additions and improvements, humans must collaborate to design the appropriate technology and instill the desired emotions into the AI ​​program. As a result, machines and humans can find a way to communicate and collaborate effectively.

Humans must explain the results

Collaborative intelligence is used in many sectors, such as medicine, law, banking, and law enforcement. It is charged with giving answers and drawing conclusions on complex and critical issues. Humans are then asked to interpret and explain the machines’ results to colleagues who do not have the same experience. For example, law enforcement might ask their AI assistant why an automated car was involved in an accident. The machine’s findings may be too complex for everyone to understand. That’s why an AI expert must step in to rephrase it in simple, understandable terms and communicate it to the rest of the team.

Humans must maintain AI technology

People not only collaborate with AI, but also maintain its functionality and safety responsibly. Safety engineers are usually hired to stay close to AI tools and make sure they do their job properly without harming humans. For example, they must ensure that medical robots recognize humans in the operating room and do not put them in danger. In addition, AI must adhere to strict ethical rules. For example, when banks use machines to obtain credit approvals, they must ensure that they do not discriminate against certain groups of people. Data fed to AI must follow guidelines and regulations. In this way, they can help humans make faster and safer decisions.

Conclusion

Collaborative intelligence in the workplace is not a magic pill that solves all communication problems. Leaders must first ensure optimal human cooperation and then enforce AI assistance. The workforce must trust each other and their expertise. It’s the only way they’ll believe someone’s interpretation of AI results without a doubt. Also, without a truly friendly work environment, machines will not receive proper instructions regarding empathetic and responsible communication. We hope this article has helped you understand how to leverage collaborative intelligence in the workplace and the benefits it can bring.