The Truth About Psychological Safety | Colin M Fisher
The Art of Charm
Navigating the Challenges of Dysfunctional Conflict in Groups
This chapter explores the dangers of dysfunctional conflict, particularly the 'me versus you' mentality that can disrupt group dynamics. It emphasizes the need for early detection and proactive communication strategies to prevent escalation and foster a collaborative environment.
Why do brilliant individuals so often create dysfunctional groups? AJ and Johnny sit down with organizational behavior professor Colin Fisher, author of The Collective Edge, to unpack the science of collaboration and why most teams achieve less than the sum of their parts. From the rise of individualism to the misunderstood role of psychological safety, Colin explains why we get group projects wrong—and what it really takes to create synergy.
They explore why conformity isn’t always bad, how to design groups that avoid wasted meetings, why hierarchy quietly kills dissent, and how healthy conflict (not harmony) fuels breakthroughs. Whether you’re running a team, stuck in endless meetings, or dreading your next group project, this episode gives you the science-backed playbook for making groups work.
What to Listen For
[00:00:20] Why groups fail despite individual brilliance
[00:01:07] How a government scandal inspired Colin’s research on groupthink
[00:02:26] Why some conformity pressure is necessary for groups
[00:04:26] The “fundamental attribution error” and our bias toward individual heroes
[00:06:30] Why most meetings are badly designed and destroy synergy
[00:10:15] Colin’s experience as a musician—and what bands teach us about synergy
[00:15:23] How hierarchy silences voices and breeds groupthink
[00:20:17] The real meaning of psychological safety (hint: it’s not kumbaya)
[00:24:52] How to bring out contributions from introverts
[00:32:41] The warning signs of dysfunctional conformity
[00:35:43] Task conflict vs. relationship conflict—and why one helps and the other destroys
[00:44:38] Rethinking leadership as a team sport, not an individual role
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