What can leaders learn from bees about creating lasting change in organizations? Siobhan McHale tells Kevin that bees recognize when a hive is overcrowded and the need for a new home. They notice what is emerging and act, which many organizations fail to do. Kevin and Siobhan discuss how leaders can harness the power of group intelligence to foster agile, resilient organizations. She introduces the "Lens Model," a four-part, non-linear framework that includes Look Beyond: Identify and understand hidden patterns that drive organizational behavior. Experiment: Test small changes to discover effective solutions within the system. Nudge: Use subtle shifts to encourage change without creating resistance. Strengthen: Reinforce emerging changes to ensure they become embedded in the organization’s culture. She also talks about GQ, or group intelligence, as a necessary complement to IQ and EQ in today’s complex world.

Listen For

00:00 Introduction
01:30 Featured Guest: Siobhan McHale
02:20 Siobhan’s Background in Change Management
04:16 Why Focus on Change Management?
05:16 The Fascination with Organizational Ecosystems
06:08 Lessons from Bees for Organizational Change
08:14 Understanding the Lens Model
12:27 The Four Steps of the Lens Model
15:40 Diagnosing Hidden Patterns in Organizations
17:45 Role of Leadership in Successful Change
20:10 Nudging vs. Pushing for Change
24:33 Leveraging Group Intelligence (GQ)
27:10 Mapping the Ecosystem to Manage Complexity
29:37 Final Thoughts on Leadership and Change

Siobhan's Story: Siobhan McHale is the author of, The Hive Mind at Work: The Power of Group Intelligence to Create Meaningful and Lasting Change. She has worked across four continents, helping thousands of leaders to create more agile and productive workplaces. She also has been on the “inside” as the executive in charge of culture change in a series of large, multinational organizations. One of these inside jobs was a radical seven-year change initiative at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) Bank that transformed it from the lowest-performing bank in the country into one of the highest-performing and most admired banks in the world. Professor John Kotter used her work with ANZ as a Harvard Business School case study designed to teach MBA students about managing change.

Book Recommendations

The Hive Mind at Work: Harnessing the Power of Group Intelligence to Create Meaningful and Lasting Change by Siobhan McHale
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

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Harnessing the Power of Group Intelligence with Siobhan McHale

The Remarkable Leadership Podcast