Synergy Moments at Pines Calyx

initial drafting process started 02.05.08: 2 months after the event

How Can We Observe Moments of Synergy?

• These notes should be read with Batel's notes, and Julia's notes (see scribes' notes overview).
• The following is an attempt to identify what is happening at particular junctures of the Pines Calyx proceedings from the perspective of the note taker.
• These notes will be used as a starting point for an in depth analysis by the whole team for the videotape footage of the day.
• This initial analysis is an attempt to identify initial "flash points" leading to later more obvious and smoother moments of synergy

Categorizing collaborative synergy

• These moments may involve one or more of the following: -
  • When there is a shared moment of understanding
  • When there seems to be the dawning that there is some kind of emerging wisdom
  • When participants appear to have co-connected with their own, existing inner wisdom
  • When participants notice a moment of shared wisdom
  • When there is a momentary flash of shared recognition
  • When there is a shared experience of creative dissonance
  • When there is a shared moment of social awkwardness which appears to precipitate a deeper change
  • When there is a shared moment of pleasant meditation or surprise
    e.g. a laughter-producing event
    
  • When everyone is engrossed in thought resulting in a moment of silence
    
  • When there is a shared moment of introspection or silence People look at a commonplace (i.e. unthreatening) object - the table, the drawing task, the facilitator

Levels

We can categorize the above examples by attributing to them the following levels:

• 1.
  • a. Tacit level (I know what it means to touch that; you know what it means to touch that; therefore, WE know what it means to touch that.)
  • b. Kinaesthetic level (I know what it means to move that; you know what it means to move that; therefore, WE know what it means to move that.)
  • c. Haptic Level: there are various sounds, visuals, textures and vibrations that are coming together and from them I understand X and you understand too)
• 2.
  • a) Emotional level (I feel this/ we feel this/ I know what you feel/you know what I am feeling)
  • b. Empathic level (I feel what you are feeling/you feel what I am feeling)
• 3.
  • a) Gendered level (same sex based understanding - I know what you mean because I am a woman/man too!)
  • aa) Inter-gendered level (at the level of attraction or repulsion - may involve flirtation/gesture/warning signs/smiles/body language)
  • b) Cultural level (you are from the same cultural background so we both understand X)
  • bb) Inter-cultural We are from a different cultural background so you can never understand what I mean by X)
  • c) Age level (you are a similar age so we both understand X - I am older/younger than you so you can never understand what I mean by X)
• 4.
  • a) Phatic level(I am using words to communicate other things i.e.social grooming, and I know that you are understanding me. I know that you are using words to tell me X an I understand that.)
  • b)Metaphoric level (I am using very particular deep seated metaphors to control how you see/understand this task/you are taking the metaphor and developing or changing it as we work on this task)
  • c)))Storytelling level(You are telling me about this through a particular type of story/ I am understanding this point more clearly beacuse of your story)

Further attempt at formulating analysis

Not wishing to reinvent the wheel...
Possible conditions for synergy that we already have: -
New knowing: the somatic, emotional or metabolic levels;
Envisioning: the conscious, intellectual and analytical levels;
Languaging: the interpersonal and collaborative levels;
Pushing and Doing: the domain of tools, methods and resources.

What is the purpose of a synergistic moment?

• We could surmise that effective social cohesion in the workplace is sustained by memorable, shared experiences
• it is important to note that though these these memorable experiences are often born out of positive discovery and elation, they can begin with sometimes dissonant, discordant or awkward encounters and exchanges
• In the m21 research project, from the 'external/post-hoc' observer's viewpoint, these can be described as 'moments of synergy'

How do our tools create moments of synergy.

The Positioning Tool

The positioning tool, placed where it was in the proceedings, seems to have provoked moments of synergy between the paired team members and as all team members had to work in pairs all team members. This created a network of synergy that grew between the pairs into the whole team. Working in pairs meant that participants faced their team members and confronted their 'feelings' about the other team member. Because this was done in pairs the alignments were deeply personal and rooted. This tool formed a spring board for later sessions.