The Collective Edge

‘Essential reading for creators, builders, and leaders’ DANIEL H. PINK , author of Drive ‘A deep dive into the dynamics of successful teams’ ADAM GRANT , author of Think Again ‘A phenomenal, science-backed guide’ KATY MILKMAN , author of How to Change We live in an age of unprecedented individualism. We seek individualistic solutions to our problems, but we can rarely explain failures and successes by looking at one person’s actions, or fix things entirely on our own. Our lives are shaped by groups as wide-ranging as work teams, friends and families, nationalities and religions, and our tendency toward cooperation is the foundation of human accomplishment. Nearly every scientific discovery, world-changing business, desert island musical album and legendary sports team has a great group at its core. In his revelatory book, Dr Colin Fisher, aforemost expert on group dynamics, demonstrates how to harness the amazing power of groups to achieve great things under the right conditions. Fisher skilfully weaves together the latest science with vivid storytelling. He demonstrates how to build happy groups that cooperate effectively, how to harness the motivating power of competition without getting embroiled in conflict and avoid the pitfalls of conformity. The Collective Edge is a ground-breaking book that will transform your understanding of human behaviour. Whether you want to change yourself, your team, or the world, you need to work with the invisible forces of group dynamics, rather than being unwittingly pushed around by them. By doing so you can learn to make better decisions, form happier groups that are more than the sum of their parts, and improve the quality of your interactions with others – forever changing how you live and work for the better.

‘Essential reading for creators, builders, and leaders’ DANIEL H. PINK , author of Drive ‘A deep dive into the dynamics of successful teams’ ADAM GRANT , author of Think Again ‘A phenomenal, science-backed guide’ KATY MILKMAN , author of How to Change We live in an age of unprecedented individualism. We seek individualistic solutions to our problems, but we can rarely explain failures and successes by looking at one person’s actions, or fix things entirely on our own. Our lives are shaped by groups as wide-ranging as work teams, friends and families, nationalities and religions, and our tendency toward cooperation is the foundation of human accomplishment. Nearly every scientific discovery, world-changing business, desert island musical album and legendary sports team has a great group at its core. In his revelatory book, Dr Colin Fisher, a foremost expert on group dynamics, demonstrates how to harness the amazing power of groups to achieve great things under the right conditions. Fisher skilfully weaves together the latest science with vivid storytelling. He demonstrates how to build happy groups that cooperate effectively, how to harness the motivating power of competition without getting embroiled in conflict and avoid the pitfalls of conformity. The Collective Edge is a ground-breaking book that will transform your understanding of human behaviour. Whether you want to change yourself, your team, or the world, you need to work with the invisible forces of group dynamics, rather than being unwittingly pushed around by them. By doing so you can learn to make better decisions, form happier groups that are more than the sum of their parts, and improve the quality of your interactions with others – forever changing how you live and work for the better.

The definitive guide to the surprising science of group dynamics, and the ultimate resource for building high-performing teams, communities, and organisations ‘Essential reading for creators, builders, and leaders’ DANIEL H. PINK , author of Drive ‘A deep dive into the dynamics of successful teams' ADAM GRANT , author of Think Again Our lives are full of groups, and they’re not easy. Families are complex, workplaces are challenging – and yet these dynamics shape us. So how can we avoid the common pitfalls of living and working together and get the most from our groups? The solution isn’t to change individuals: it’s to think about the collective. In The Collective Edge , Colin Fisher, one of the world’s foremost experts on group dynamics, distills decades of research into practical strategies to help groups function at their highest levels. Through case studies that include billion-dollar companies, boutique design firms and great sports teams, Fisher reveals how to compete without dysfunctional conflict, why conformity pressure can sometimes be positive, and why effective group leadership often comes down to structure and organization instead of motivational speeches. The secret to getting the most from your groups is knowing how to work with the invisible forces of group dynamics instead of being unconsciously pushed around by them. Whether you’re a leader, team member, or simply want to explore a different way of thinking, The Collective Edge provides essential wisdom that will forever change the way you live and work.

The definitive guide to the surprising science of group dynamics, and the ultimate resource for building high-performing teams, communities, and organisations ‘Essential reading for creators, builders, and leaders’ DANIEL H. PINK, author of Drive ‘A deep dive into the dynamics of successful teams' ADAM GRANT, author of Think Again Our lives are full of groups, and they’re not easy. Families are complex, workplaces are challenging – and yet these dynamics shape us. So how can we avoid the common pitfalls of living and working together and get the most from our groups? The solution isn’t to change individuals: it’s to think about the collective. In The Collective Edge, Colin Fisher, one of the world’s foremost experts on group dynamics, distills decades of research into practical strategies to help groups function at their highest levels. Through case studies that include billion-dollar companies, boutique design firms and great sports teams, Fisher reveals how to compete without dysfunctional conflict, why conformity pressure can sometimes be positive, and why effective group leadership often comes down to structure and organization instead of motivational speeches. The secret to getting the most from your groups is knowing how to work with the invisible forces of group dynamics instead of being unconsciously pushed around by them. Whether you’re a leader, team member, or simply want to explore a different way of thinking, The Collective Edge provides essential wisdom that will forever change the way you live and work.