Robin Dunbar and Sam Rockey - authors of The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups - The Art of Deciding

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Robin Dunbar and Sam Rockey - authors of The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups

February 5, 2025 • 27 mins

What is the ideal number of people to involve in a collective decision? What do we need to be happy - and effective - in a group? Why should more companies have pubs?

Professor Robin Dunbar is Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford. He’s famous for Dunbar’s number - the limit to the amount of meaningful relationships that we can have at any one time (listen to the podcast to find out what it is). Sam Rockey is an Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School - also at Oxford - and a consultant who has helped many multi-nationals improve their performance. Their book (with Tracey Camilleri), The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups, looks at how we function collectively, why we’re hard-wired to do so and how to create more powerful organisations - including how we make decisions.

Key Topics:

Evolutionary Roots of Decision-Making: Humans thrive in social groups, but modern structures create new challenges.
Optimal Group Sizes for Decision-Making:
4-5: Quick, effective decisions.
6-12: Best for brainstorming.
12-15: Ideal for complex discussions.
The Social Brain & Business Strategy: Lessons from SAB Miller on fostering connection and collaboration.
The Thrive Model for Organizations:
Collective Purpose
Belonging & Trust
Learning & Culture
Shared Values
Leadership & Decision-Making: Insights from Jeff Bezos & Elon Musk on meeting efficiency.
The Role of Trust: Trust enables faster, better decisions.
Reimagining the Future of Work: Moving beyond industrial-era business models.