This weeks reading: Group Genius: The Power of Collaboration. Sawyer, Kieth 2007. Pages 39 to 57

There were a number of readings for this week, however for my response I decided to focus on the first reading by Keith Sawyer on the power of achieving “group flow” in collaboration.

Sawyer provides an interesting reflection on observing recreation basketball courts in Indiana, where players from different areas and backgrounds come together to create their own teams and tournaments. Sawyer interestingly points out the situation of Pip, a middle aged white judge, and Alan, a young black player just out of high school who was a member of a gang, unexpectedly coming together to work collaboratively in a basketball team. He insightfully reflects on basketballs power to not only bring together people from all over the world, but also the ‘group genius’ (Sawyer 2007, p.40) that can be achieved. This idea of group genius refers to the heightened euphoria experienced by players when they are at ‘a peak experience, a group performing at its top level of ability’ (Sawyer 2007, p.43).  Sawyer then explains that this flow can only be achieved when team members are ‘improvising and collaborating’ (Sawyer 2007, p.41).

Sawyer uses basketball as a stepping off point to demonstrate how group flow can be achieved in all aspects of collaborative life. He points to an office brainstorming session, where ‘conversation leads to flow, and flow leads to creativity’. I think this is an accurate depiction of the power of brainstorming, I think often in class situations teachers dismiss discussion, misunderstanding its power as a fueling source for great ideas.

I know personally I have experienced group flow, in my time playing music, or performing in musical theatre are where the most obvious places I have experienced it are. However, I can also remember various football (Australian rules) games, where it has felt like the team is equally sharing the load, and performing at their peak level of ability.

Sawyer then interestingly points out what he believes are 10 key aspects to achieving group flow. One of which was the idea of everyone in the group having a similar goal. I believe this is somewhat accurate, however the goal may be for different reasons, and yet group flow could still be achieved. For example, in a football team, one player may want to win because he is devoted to his team, yet another may simply want to win to impress a girl watching from the sidelines.

Sawyer then also interesting discusses the importance of ‘close listening’, where each group does not try to bring in their own ideas, but instead choose their actions based on the current temperament or “feel” of the situation at hand. He links this accurately to improvisation, where he points out that ‘innovation is blocked when one (or more) participants already has a preconceived idea of how to reach the goal’ (Sawyer 2007, p.46 & 47). Yet he then somewhat arguably contradicts this, when he points out the importance of each member ‘being in control’ of their own actions to achieve group flow. Supposedly, to let oneself determine their actions by the collective feel of the group, would negate the desire for one to micromanage their own actions personally, and I believe that Sawyer somewhat overlooks this.

I think one of Sawyer’s best points is his emphasis on the importance of ‘equal participation’, where he states that ‘group flow is more likely to occur when all participants play an equal role in the collective creation of the final performance’ (Sawyer 2007, p.50). This is a point that will undoubtedly be relevant when our media classes move into their project brief 4 group presentations. Finally, a reflection of Sawyer’s that resonated with me more than most in this reading was his belief that the ‘potential for failure’ was necessary in achieving group flow, and that ‘the problem is that most businesses are designed to minimize risk, and most of them punish failure’ (Sawyer 2007, p.55). An interesting condemnation of the capitalist system limiting the potential for greatness by Sawyer.