More heads are better that one
Everyone's heard it before - two heads are better than one and a thousand heads are better than two. A whole lot of heads can come up with ideas, solve problems, work faster, and make decisions more effectively. But why is that? The answer is not so simple because there are many reasons more heads are better than one.
In this post, we'll explore the psychology behind this phenomenon as well as the benefits of teamwork in work and on a personal level. We'll also look at how to get others to collaborate with you on your projects and how to actually manage those collaborations once they've been established.
It turns out that the reasons behind why two heads really are better than one are fairly complex. We'll start off with a look at what is meant when we say two heads are better than one. This will help us figure out what we're trying to explain before we go into any of the reasons behind why this is true.
While this phrase means different things for different people, here is how I use it in this post: Two heads are better than one when the problems being solved and the decisions being made involve complex problems that require creativity and thinking outside of the box, multiple solutions to a problem can be compared, and opinions must be considered prior to making a decision.
For example, consider buying groceries at the supermarket. You're shopping for the week and you have a list of items to buy. You start with the bread and milk items on your list, fast food items, fruits, vegetables, and so on. And there are many checkout registers for you to choose from at which to pay for your purchases. Which one would you go to? I would go to the one that has a self-checkout machine as it saves me time and puts less stress on me in case I forget to grab my wallet or my credit card is out of reach.
Of course there may be occasions where it's worth it to stop at another checkout register even if you can see how much money you have left in your wallet/credit card. So in that case, you'll have to consider the options and weigh out your options before making the decision that you want. This is why it's important to be aware of what others are doing and react accordingly.
This is also true for decision making when there are multiple people involved in a project. They need to know what's going on so they can contribute effectively to the process, they need to know how their input will be used, and they need their input considered before a decision is made. This means getting them on board early in order to get everyone on the same page with expectations and goals as well as providing support throughout the project so there aren't any surprises at the end.
You might ask, "But isn't this a common sense thing to do? Why even speak of it in science?" Actually, that is a fairly common misconception. The reason we don't think of this as common sense is because our brains are wired both for survival as well as for learning. We're so used to making decisions based on survival (i.e., what's the fastest way out of danger that won't put me in jeopardy) that it's hard for many of us to think outside these limitations even though we all know consciously there are better options out there than simply running away.
We're also wired to learn and process information very quickly and take in new information. So it's not difficult for us to figure out that two heads are better than one when a problem is complex, creative, or when input is needed. But this is a relatively fragile way of thinking as this isn't a conscious thought for most people. We're not aware that we do this because it's hardwired into our brains.
When you think through these things in the context of how we're wired, you can see why collaboration is such an important skill to acquire to be more effective in your work and make smarter decisions at the same time. To continue with the bread and milk example, instead of attempting to go check out five checkout registers at once, you can delegate this responsibility by selecting who is going to go stand by each register. This way you can check out what you need faster because there aren't as many choices and you don't have to keep stopping to look at your wallet/credit card.
This is why it's important for us to be aware of our patterns as well as be conscious of our actions so that we can change them for the better.
Changing our patterns means we have to make a conscious decision to do something different than what we're used to doing without getting into trouble. This is the hardest thing for us to do. Another way we can change our patterns is by asking others how they manage tasks and meetings - this will give us ideas on how other people are managing tasks and meetings as well as their expectations of collaboration. Also, we can ask them what they'd like us to do so that we are more successful in our work.
We're also going to look at the benefits of collaboration in your personal life and the work environment. If you find that you enjoy collaboration with people, then why not try it out? You might find that it makes things more effective in your work and helps you get along better with your peers at a personal level.
The Pros of Collaboration
There are many reasons why collaboration makes things more effective in your work and personal life. Let's start by looking at some of the benefits that come from collaboration.
There's been quite a bit of research done on the psychology behind why two heads really ARE better than one when it comes to creative thinking, problem-solving, and other complicated tasks. There are four main theories associated with why two heads are better than one when it comes to creativity: Cone of Possibility: This is where multiple perspectives means more possibilities can be explored and assessed. Theory of Mind: This refers to being aware of one's own thoughts and opinions as well as those of others. Social Roles: Everyone has a role in a group - they have a certain function, job, or task. Communication Factors: When multiple people are involved in this kind of project, communication needs to be clear for everyone to contribute effectively and make good decisions at the same time.
So why is it so important to have everyone on board when there are multiple people on projects? Every person brings something new and different to the table so it's important that they're all able to work together instead of against one another. This will ensure that the end result will be far better than if the project was handled by one person alone.
In terms of effectiveness, there are many reasons why collaboration makes things more effective in your work and personal life. Let's start by looking at some of the benefits that come from collaboration.
Collaboration is an effective way for you to get your work done faster by allowing for multiple people to get involved in a task, project, or meeting. There are multiple people involved so tasks can be delegated and assigned to each person who is responsible for completing a certain part of the task or project so they can work on it as needed.
Conclusion
The key to being more effective in your work and personal life is to learn how to think differently about the problems and situations you face. There are many different ways to think about things and we often have preconceived notions that aren't necessarily correct. This is why it's critical that you start thinking about the possibilities (when there are multiple people involved in a project) rather than just one option or mindset.
All of this comes down to how we view things and how we come up with ideas for solutions. When I started writing this article, I had a vague notion of what it would be like for two different people to think something through and build on what they had agreed on.