Cultivating Collaboration: Don't Be So Defensive! | Jim Tamm | TEDxSantaCruz

Summary

The speaker shares insights on resolving conflict and fostering collaboration, drawing a parallel from a study on chickens at Purdue University. The study shows that collaborative 'green zone' chickens outperformed aggressive 'red zone' chickens in egg production. The speaker emphasizes managing defensiveness to enhance problem-solving and collaboration, suggesting personal strategies to recognize and counteract defensive behaviors.

Takeaways

• 🐔 **Collaboration in Chickens**: The story of Purdue University's research on collaborative chickens illustrates the impact of teamwork on productivity.
• 🌟 **Star Performers**: Star performers in chicken groups were found to be aggressive, suppressing others' productivity to stand out.
• 🥚 **Productivity vs. Aggression**: Non-aggressive, collaborative 'green zone' chickens outperformed aggressive 'red zone' chickens by a significant margin.
• 🔄 **Breeding Collaboration**: Bill, the professor, attempted to breed collaborative instincts into chickens to improve egg production.
• 📈 **Dramatic Results**: The green zone chickens' egg production increased by 260%, showcasing the power of collaboration over aggression.
• 🚨 **Red Zone Dangers**: Red zone environments foster hostility, conflict, and internal competition, which are detrimental to productivity.
• 🌱 **Green Zone Benefits**: Green zone environments promote support, cooperation, and collaboration, leading to higher productivity.
• 🧠 **Defensiveness and IQ**: Defensiveness can reduce one's IQ by about 20 points, impairing problem-solving abilities.
• 🔍 **Recognizing Defensiveness**: Identifying personal signs of defensiveness is crucial for managing it effectively.
• 🛠️ **Managing Defensiveness**: Developing an early warning system and action steps can help manage defensiveness and promote collaboration.

Q & A

What is the main lesson the speaker wants to convey about conflict resolution and collaboration?

The main lesson is that managing one's own defensiveness is key to resolving conflict and building collaboration more effectively.

What did Bill, the professor at Purdue University, discover about collaborative chickens?

Bill found that collaborative chickens, or 'green zone chickens,' were healthier and more productive compared to aggressive 'red zone chickens,' which often suppressed others' productivity.

How did the speaker measure the success of breeding collaborative instincts into chickens?

The success was measured by a 260% increase in egg production within one year among the 'green zone chickens' that were bred for collaboration.

What are the negative outcomes associated with 'red zone' environments as described in the script?

Red zone environments are characterized by hostility, internal conflict, and competition, which can lead to destructive behaviors and even physical harm among group members.

What strategies have been tried to manage aggressive chickens, and why were they not ideal?

Strategies included housing chickens in individual cages and trimming their beaks. These were not ideal because they were expensive and caused distress to the chickens.

How does the speaker relate the behavior of chickens to human organizations?

The speaker relates chickens' behavior to human organizations by drawing parallels between aggressive chickens suppressing others' productivity and star performers in organizations causing conflict.

What is the impact of reducing defensiveness on problem-solving ability?

Reducing defensiveness increases one's ability to solve problems by allowing for more open-minded thinking and collaboration.

Why do people become defensive, according to the speaker?

People become defensive as a defense mechanism against internal fears related to their significance, competence, and likability.

What is the speaker's advice for recognizing one's own defensiveness?

The speaker advises creating a personalized early warning system by identifying one's own signs of defensiveness, such as changes in breathing or tone of voice.

What are some actions the speaker suggests to manage defensiveness?

Actions include acknowledging one's defensiveness, slowing down physiology, paying attention to self-talk, creating action steps related to one's signs of defensiveness, and practicing these steps to make them automatic.

How does the speaker use humor to illustrate the concept of defensiveness?

The speaker uses humor by comparing defensiveness to 'putting whipped cream on dog poop' to illustrate how people try to cover up their fears with defensive behavior.