Iron Butterflies: Ushering in a New Era of Collaboration
Contributed by Dr. Birute Regine
The late US Congresswoman Bela Abzug said that in the 21st century “Women will change the nature of power, rather than power changing the nature of women.” And this is exactly what Iron Butterflies are quietly up to.
For thousands of years we have been a domination-based society that has used power over others. This use of power generates hierarchies, a frontier mentality, a “lone ranger” style leadership, a command and control approach that reveres “masculine” qualities of independence, autonomy, and individuality.
Some good things have come from this use of power: the industrial revolution, technology, architecture.
But if you think of the woes of the world—sexism, racism, terrorism, genocide, war, environmental degradation—what do they share in common? A use of power over others. A power that is no longer sustainable.
The world is begging for a different kind of leadership and Iron Butterflies are leading the way. They are ushering in a new era of cooperation by exercising a collaborative style of leadership that transforms the meaning of power from power over to power with and for others.
Transforming Vulnerability
A secret to this transformation of power is in how they deal with vulnerability – their own and others’. How we deal with vulnerability not only defines our character but also our leadership style.
What’s your reaction to the word “vulnerability?” Negative, right? Vulnerability gets bad billing in a domination based society. No wonder. Vulnerability is seen as weakness in others, an opportunity to diminish another in order to elevate yourself.
But there is another way of thinking about it, one that carries opportunities for growth. I think of vulnerability as a profound openness with an element of risk. Like a two-sided coin, on one hand, you could be demeaned or hurt; on the other, it can guide you to developing new strengths. This positive perspective offers an opportunity for a depth of connection to yourself and to others not otherwise possible.
When Iron Butterflies allow, accept, and address vulnerabilities in themselves and in others, a shift occurs in the way people interact. I’m not talking about wearing your heart on your sleeve, but rather having the wisdom to discern those moments when opening ourselves to people can transform a situation, transform lives.
How do you deal with vulnerability? When we are you strong enough to be vulnerable, it can lead us to developing new strengths. Here are four ways to transform vulnerabilities into strengths.
1. How willing are you to admit to being wrong, or making a mistake, or not knowing? If a leader can admit to making a mistake, then she models for others that it is safe to be vulnerable. Instead of a mistake needing to be hidden, it can become an opportunity for everyone to learn. Many workplaces don’t learn from their mistakes and are doomed to repeat them. Too often, covering up a mistake cascades into a crisis. When we learn from mistakes we are developing new strengths by becoming a learning organization.
2. How willing are you to recognize your interdependence and need of others? Leaders need people as much as people need leaders: we don’t stand alone nor do we fall alone. Admitting you need others levels the playing field and creates a sense of mutuality that releases a collective power–we are in it together. People who recognize their interdependence are more willing to collaborate. If you don’t recognize your interdependence, then you don’t think you need anyone nor do you need to find ways to work with others.
3. How open are you to creating a true collaboration? True collaborations are inherently vulnerable because they require an openness: open to trust, to learn, to find mutually beneficial ground, to self-examine and reflect.
When we collaborate we are transforming the nature of power from exerting power over others to exploring what it means to use our power with and for others. When we collaborate we are engaged in leadership skills that give us a cutting edge and advantage.
4. How willing are you to embrace those “feminine” skills that are often disparaged or marginalized as touchy-feely and soft? Relational intelligence, emotional intelligence, empathy, inclusion, big picture thinking, consensus building are all powerful skills that effectively serve a collaborative style of leadership. These are not soft skills, but powerful skills.
The Value of Collaboration
So why is collaborating so important in this day and age?
The challenges we face in our interconnected world grow increasingly complex. New research shows that a collaborative group can perform at a higher level of creativity than any single individual because collaborations create conditions for collective intelligence to emerge.
Researchers at MIT and Carnegie Mellon had a surprising finding as to what contributes to increasing collective intelligence. They learned that collective intelligence is not tied to either the smartest person on the team nor to the average intelligence of the members of the team. What is the one single predictor that a group will have high collective intelligence? Make sure at least half the chairs around the table are occupied by women. What do women bring to the table that catalyzes evolved thinking? According to the research, superior social sensitivity in reading non-verbal cues and people’s emotions, and a fairness in turn taking. Again all those feminine skills that are so powerful in creating true collaborations also play a role in facilitating collective intelligence.
Women are in a position to lead and together Iron Butterflies can usher in a new era of cooperation.
Dr. Birute Regine is widely published in professional journals and blogs for Huffington Post and Forbes 85 Broads. She is the author of Iron Butterflies: Women Transforming Themselves and the World (Prometheus Books, 2010) and The Soul at Work: Embracing Complexity Science for Business Success (Simon & Schuster, 2000). Iron Butterflies received the Nautilus Silver Book Award in both social change and women’s interest. For more information, visit www.ironbutterflies.com.