Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups with Colin Fisher

What if understanding group dynamics is the secret to building high-performing teams? In this episode, Kevin speaks with Dr. Colin Fisher about what makes successful teams work. They debunk the myth of the lone genius and explore why collaboration, not individual brilliance, drives real innovation. Dr. Fisher explains when team synergy happens and why so many teams underperform without realizing it. He also shares practical insights on optimal meeting sizes, how remote and hybrid work affects collaboration, and how to harness healthy competition without damaging team performance.

Listen For

00:00 Introduction
02:04 Guest introduction – Dr. Colin Fisher
03:23 Colin's background and journey
06:14 The big idea of The Collective Edge
07:05 Groups vs. teams
09:27 Polarization and why it matters
10:17 The myth of the lone genius
13:19 The science of synergy
16:32 When synergy happens
19:30 What people get wrong about teams
23:24 How to launch effective teams
25:59 Healthy competition in teams
31:10 Leading remote and hybrid teams
37:29 Colin's life outside of work
38:52 What Colin is reading
40:02 How to connect with Colin
40:28 Kevin's closing thoughts and call to action

Colin's Story: Since his days as a professional jazz trumpet player, Dr. Colin M. Fisher, author of The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups, has been fascinated by group dynamics. As Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London's School of Management, Colin's research has uncovered the hidden processes of helping groups and teams in situations requiring creativity, improvisation, and complex decision-making. He has written about group dynamics for both popular science and management audiences, and his work has been profiled in prominent media outlets such as BBC, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, NPR, and The Times. Originally from Redmond, Washington, he received his Ph.D. from Harvard University and now lives in North London with his wife and two children.

This Episode is brought to you by...

Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos. 

Book Recommendations

• The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups by Colin M. Fisher
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
  
• Helgoland: Making Sense of the Quantum Revolution by Carlo Rovelli 

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