An expert in collective intelligence, Nadia Grandclement is the founder of Calliope consulting. She
supports companies and individuals in their evolution and transformation. A certified professional coach and master practitioner of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) for over 20 years, she was trained by Robert Dilts and certified by the DILTS Stategy group. She has also been a partner of Airbus University for over ten years, as well as EY-Lane 4. She has also taken part in a number of large-scale projects involving organizational support and transformation.
How did you become an expert in collective intelligence?
I'd say that it's my entire professional career that has led me to become an expert in collective intelligence.
First of all, I was sales and operations manager for the American companies you all know: Timberland and Patagonia. At the time, Patagonia was not as well known as it is today. Its CEO, Yvon Chouinard, wanted to develop the European market, for which I was responsible. But beyond sales, his aim was to create a community of users federated by a sales force passionate about sports and with a conscious and respectful attitude. He was convinced that we deserved the best when it came to technical products. And that, at the same time, we had to be mindful of our impact on the environment. Yvon Chouinard was already the man of conviction we know today. His aim was to involve his employees in the thinking, creation and use of the products he proposed .
He regularly organized brainstorming meetings with his colleagues. Everyone came up with new solutions. This was done in order to propose product improvements/evolutions that perfectly met consumer expectations. For example, Patagonia fleeces made from recycled bottles.
"Together we can do much more than if I were alone", he used to say! His aim was to unite his teams around his vision and convictions. His actions were totally at the service of the collective. For me, collective intelligence starts here. It's not just techniques and tools, but a state of mind and deep-seated convictions.
This experience made me realize that I wanted to accompany people and help them grow. People are often told what they should be, what they could do or what they lack. But we rarely talk about who they are, how they're unique and exceptional, how they do what they do and how much they can contribute if invited. And that makes a huge difference.
My approach is to make people aware that they have talents, and to help them bring them to fruition and really embody them in their work. I have therefore trained in all kinds of disciplines: hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, systemic analysis, etc. This desire was brought to me by Robert Dilts, a teacher and researcher who applies neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) to the world of business. His "Success Factor Modeling" program for coaches and trainers was a trigger for me to become an expert in collective intelligence.
You have co-written "Mastermind groups: gas pedals of success". How is this method strategic for companies?
Napoleon Hill, who popularized the concept, defines Mastermind as: "The coordination of the
knowledge and efforts of two or more people working toward a common goal in a spirit of harmony."
When I discovered this concept, I was immediately interested. With 7 other coaches, we decided to experiment with it for a year on ourselves. Fascinated by its power and results, we decided to co-write with collective intelligence. In other words, we can no longer say who wrote what - it's a collective work! Our book "Les groupes Mastermind" is the first in French. We wrote it for our coaching and training colleagues who would like to use and implement this method in France. The book has been translated into English and Spanish, and the second French edition came out last July.
"Mastermind groups are increasingly used to foster personal and professional growth. They combine brainstorming, training, peer support and empowerment. In recent years, it has become a powerful lever for accelerating success in people's personal and professional lives. It embodies the practical application of collective intelligence.
And this method is becoming strategic for companies, as it offers a number of advantages:
It's a well-known fact that every company encounters difficulties at one time or another. It is therefore essential to find lasting solutions. However, organizations don't always have the time they need to solve problems.
Mastermind groups have finally arrived in the corporate world. They enable you to set up internal support, exchange and sharing groups. Unlike many other methods, the aim is to create a group that lasts over time, based on a structured methodology. The more diverse the group's profiles, the richer the harvest. Indeed, this diversity offers a multitude of different perspectives. Each participant can propose a way of thinking about a problem, based on his or her own reality and experience.
The Mastermind group is at the service of its members. It lives up to D'Artagnan's motto " all for one, one for all ". The process can't be reduced to the use of tools and techniques, because that wouldn't be magic! What makes it so powerful is the creation of the "container of collective intelligence". It's the desire of its members to give and receive, to really want to help others, and to put all their energy and skills at the service of the request made. This is why the choice of members is essential. And so is facilitation, which is a real profession... even if anyone can try their hand at it.
A Mastermind group focused on a specific theme can lead you to reflect on topics you wouldn't normally consider important. This reflection can help you to review your practices and continuously improve.
As an expert in collective intelligence, how do you support companies?
My methodology is very often :
- Audit
- Structuring
- Unite / motivate
- Leave room for ideas to emerge
Among other things, when a company calls on my expertise in collective intelligence, I take the time to listen and really understand their needs. What are its objectives? Where do they want to go? What difficulties has it encountered to date?
Based on these elements, I propose a workshop format(hackathon, call for ideas...) based on the objectives and results the company wishes to achieve. I then draw up a framework which is used as a basis for discussion during the workshop.
This audit phase highlights the essential points and, above all, the right questions to ask: where do we start? How are we going to proceed? How do we involve our teams? Because if you really want your employees to take ownership of the project, you have to get them involved. In which case, it's a process that belongs solely to the management committee.
I'm convinced that we can get the best out of our people if we give our best too. And that means instilling a real state of mind around collective intelligence. So it's important to set the right framework and conditions, and create an environment conducive to the emergence of ideas.
I often illustrate the concept like this: collected intelligence is "my idea + your idea = 2 ideas". And collective intelligence is "my idea + your idea = a third, unexpected idea". And this third idea will cascade into other ideas. It's about creating something new from who you are, what you do and what you can contribute.
Collective intelligence also means accepting to enter a different system. Companies have to be ready to let go. They have to give time to time, and accept that results may differ from those expected. And that's where the importance of being truly open-minded lies.
What obstacles do companies encounter when implementing collective intelligence methods?
On the one hand, there are companies that aren't really ready, because it's not part of their culture. This prevents them from stepping out of their comfort zone and giving employees a voice, because of certain reticence. So I'm going to create the conditions for them to understand that employees are a real added value and that they can bring new things to the table. You have to take the risk of letting them have their say and realize that, for the most part, they are totally aligned with the company's vision.
And then there's the level ofemployee commitment. The success of the workshops I run also depends on the quality of the participants. You can't achieve collective intelligence with people who aren't committed to the process. They have to want to share their ideas, learn from each other, discover unexpected things and adopt a collective state of mind.
In this case, I adapt my approach and my behavior. I get them to think about what they stand to gain or lose. Collective intelligence workshops are becoming increasingly essential, because when you're with others, you're more effective collectively than when you're on your own.
They enable them to evolve, learn new techniques and become aware that content and form are inseparable. In this way, they discover that behavior, words and attitudes also contribute to their performance. They renew themselves and adapt to the changing world. And at the end of my sessions, I guide them and give them an overview of the benefits they have gained: What did they retain from the session? What did they learn? How are they going to apply it? And when? What did the collective bring them? This enables them to analyze the quality of their reflections, and approach the issues they face from a different angle.
It's important to put ourselves at the service of the collective, inviting individuals to reflect so that they can make funnel-shaped choices. In other words, to start from the initial problem and reflect on all the elements the person has been confronted with that have generated this problem. In my job, I have to adapt to the individual and take his or her thoughts to places he or she didn't expect. It's all about attitude and the words we use , because our thoughts, our behavior and the way we act have an impact on others .
What's the main thing you've learned from your activity? What advice would you give to organizations looking to get started?
As an expert in collective intelligence, I'd say that, for me, it's an extremely powerful tool for transforming organizations and shaking things up. But beyond the tools and techniques, as I said earlier, it's all about creating the right frame of mind to "summon the magic", and then putting into action concepts such as hackathons, "calls for ideas", etc. calls for ideasbrainstorming workshops, etc.
Be there, be part of your success!
Some companies have understood this, others less so. Employees need to be evangelized, made to understand that collective intelligence brings them real benefits. They then know that their voice counts, and this makes them proud and empowered.
My advice as an expert in collective intelligence? You need to work on communicating with employees, informing them, involving them, polling them and gathering feedback.
It can also be useful to create communities of ambassadors to motivate and engage employees. But be careful! These communities of ambassadors must not only be people defined by management, but also volunteers who wish to support the project and speak out .
The challenge for companies is to find the right balance between giving employees the freedom to say what they have to contribute. But they must also set a framework, because a company cannot allow so much freedom without guiding the collective intelligence process.
