Margaret Heffernan: Why it's time to forget the pecking order at work

翻译人员: Shiwen He 校对人员: Yolanda Zhang

An evolutionary biologist at Purdue University

普渡大学一位名叫威廉·谬尔的

named William Muir studied chickens.

生物进化学家研究了鸡。

He was interested in productivity --

他对生产率很感兴趣——

I think it's something that concerns all of us --

我觉得他的研究关系到我们每个人——

but it's easy to measure in chickens because you just count the eggs.

但计算鸡的生产率很简单， 只需要数数鸡蛋就行了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

He wanted to know what could make his chickens more productive,

他想要知道如何提高鸡的生蛋率，

so he devised a beautiful experiment.

所以他设计了一个巧妙的实验。

Chickens live in groups, so first of all, he selected just an average flock,

鸡都是群居的，所以他 先选择了一群普通的鸡，

and he let it alone for six generations.

然后他让这一群鸡 独自生存繁衍直到第六代。

But then he created a second group

然后他又用生产力最强的鸡

of the individually most productive chickens --

创建了第二个鸡群——

you could call them superchickens --

你可以叫它们 “超级鸡”——

and he put them together in a superflock,

他将超级鸡放在一起 成了”超级鸡群“，

and each generation, he selected only the most productive for breeding.

然后在每一代里， 他都选择最高产的鸡来繁衍。

After six generations had passed,

在经过六代以后，

what did he find?

他发现了什么呢？

Well, the first group, the average group, was doing just fine.

第一群普通的鸡，表现都不错。

They were all plump and fully feathered

它们都身形结实，羽翼丰满，

并且鸡蛋的产量急剧增加。

and egg production had increased dramatically.

What about the second group?

而第二群呢？

Well, all but three were dead.

除了三只以外，全死了。

那三只鸡把其他的鸡都啄死了。

They'd pecked the rest to death.

(Laughter)

（笑声)

The individually productive chickens had only achieved their success

这些个个高产的鸡只是通过挤兑同伴

by suppressing the productivity of the rest.

才获得了成功。

Now, as I've gone around the world talking about this and telling this story

现在，我走遍世界， 在各类组织和公司里

in all sorts of organizations and companies,

讲述这个故事，

people have seen the relevance almost instantly,

人们几乎立刻就看出了其中的关联，

and they come up and they say things to me like,

然后都跑来对我说这样的话：

"That superflock, that's my company."

”我们的公司就是那个超级鸡群。“

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Or, "That's my country."

有的说：”那就是我的国家。“

Or, "That's my life."

还有的说：”那就是我的人生。“

All my life I've been told that the way we have to get ahead is to compete:

我的一生中都被告知 要获得成功只有不断地竞争：

get into the right school, get into the right job, get to the top,

进好的学校，找好的工作，要做人上人，

and I've really never found it very inspiring.

但我从来没有觉得 这些话有多激励人。

I've started and run businesses because invention is a joy,

我开始为自己的事业奋斗， 因为创造是快乐的，

and because working alongside brilliant, creative people

也因为与许多优秀的、 有创造力的人并肩奋斗，

is its own reward.

本身就是一种回报。

And I've never really felt very motivated by pecking orders or by superchickens

我自己从来不会 通过挤兑他人或被他人挤兑

or by superstars.

而获得激励。

But for the past 50 years,

但是五十多年过去了，

we've run most organizations and some societies

我们用超级鸡的模式经营了

along the superchicken model.

大多数组织和很多社会。

We've thought that success is achieved by picking the superstars,

我们曾觉得成功靠的是挑选顶尖人才，

the brightest men, or occasionally women, in the room,

把那些最聪明的男人 或者女人放在一起，

and giving them all the resources and all the power.

然后给他们所有的资源和权利。

And the result has been just the same as in William Muir's experiment:

结果也和威廉的实验如出一辙：

aggression, dysfunction and waste.

那些拔尖者野心勃勃， 组织功能失调，还出现了各种资源的浪费。

If the only way the most productive can be successful

如果成功实现高生产率的唯一途径

is by suppressing the productivity of the rest,

是通过抑制对手的生产率的话，

then we badly need to find a better way to work

那我们就更加迫切的需要另外一条路，

and a richer way to live.

和更多样的方法去生存。

(Applause)

（掌声）

So what is it that makes some groups

那么，到底是什么造就了一些团队，

obviously more successful and more productive than others?

比其他的更加成功，更加高效？

Well, that's the question a team at MIT took to research.

这也是麻省理工大学的 一个研究团队提出的问题。

They brought in hundreds of volunteers,

他们邀请了几百名志愿者，

they put them into groups, and they gave them very hard problems to solve.

将他们分成几组， 让他们解决非常困难的问题。

And what happened was exactly what you'd expect,

结果与你期望的一样，

that some groups were very much more successful than others,

其中一些团队会比另外一些优秀很多，

but what was really interesting was that the high-achieving groups

但真正有趣的是，表现优异的团队

were not those where they had one or two people

并不是拥有一两个

with spectacularly high I.Q.

超高智商的人的团队。

Nor were the most successful groups the ones that had the highest

也不是那些整体智商水平

aggregate I.Q.

最高的团队。

Instead, they had three characteristics, the really successful teams.

反之，那些成功的团队都有三个特点。

First of all, they showed high degrees of social sensitivity to each other.

第一，他们都有着较高的社交灵敏度。

This is measured by something called the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test.

这是由一种叫“由眼及心”的 测试检测出来的。

It's broadly considered a test for empathy,

它被广泛的理解为同理心测试，

and the groups that scored highly on this

在这个测试里面获得高分的团队

did better.

解决问题的表现更优异。

Secondly, the successful groups gave roughly equal time to each other,

第二 ，成功的团队给了 每个人同样的时间，

so that no one voice dominated,

这样就没有任何人会成为主导，

but neither were there any passengers.

也没有任何人有机会搭便车。

And thirdly, the more successful groups

第三，成功的团队里

had more women in them.

都有更多的女性员工。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Now, was this because women typically score more highly on

是不是因为女性 通常在"由眼及心"测试里

the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test,

得分更高,

so you're getting a doubling down on the empathy quotient?

所以她们所在的团队具有双倍的同理心？

或者是因为她们用更多的视角看问题？

Or was it because they brought a more diverse perspective?

We don't really know, but the striking thing about this experiment

这个问题我们无从知晓， 然而重要的是

is that it showed what we know, which is some groups do better than others,

这个实验证实了我们的理论：

but what's key to that

那些团队表现优异的关键

is their social connectedness to each other.

在于每个人和队友的关系。

So how does this play out in the real world?

那么这个原理是 怎样在现实生活中体现的？

Well, it means that what happens between people really counts,

这意味着人与人之间的互动非常重要，

because in groups that are highly attuned and sensitive to each other,

因为在成员之间高度契合 和反应灵敏的团队里，

ideas can flow and grow.

创意才会涌动并且发展壮大。

人们不会被某个想法困扰住, 不会浪费精力钻牛角尖。

People don't get stuck. They don't waste energy down dead ends.

An example: Arup is one of the world's most successful engineering firms,

举个例子： Arup是世界上最成功的工程公司之一，

and it was commissioned to build the equestrian center

它是北京奥运会

马术中心的建造商。

for the Beijing Olympics.

Now, this building had to receive

现在，这个建筑必须容纳

two and a half thousand really highly strung thoroughbred horses

2500匹刚由长途飞机运送过来的

高质量的纯种马，

that were coming off long-haul flights,

highly jet-lagged, not feeling their finest.

这些马儿有很严重的时差， 身体状况也并不算好。

And the problem the engineer confronted was,

而工程师面临的问题是

what quantity of waste to cater for?

要应付多少马粪?

Now, you don't get taught this in engineering school -- (Laughter) --

这个问题在工程学院可没学过—— （笑声）——

但是谁也不想把这种问题搞砸，

and it's not really the kind of thing you want to get wrong,

so he could have spent months talking to vets, doing the research,

其实他本可以花上几个月时间 和兽医交流，做各种研究，

tweaking the spreadsheet.

调整电子数据表，

Instead, he asked for help

但实际上他通过四处寻求帮助，

and he found someone who had designed the Jockey Club in New York.

找到了一个曾经设计过 纽约赛马场的人，

The problem was solved in less than a day.

问题用了不到一天就解决了。

Arup believes that the culture of helpfulness

Arup 相信他们成功的精髓

is central to their success.

是互帮互助的文化。

Now, helpfulness sounds really anemic,

互帮互助听起来很没士气，

but it's absolutely core to successful teams,

但它在成功的团队里却至关重要，

and it routinely outperforms individual intelligence.

其作用往往胜过个体的智慧。

互帮互助意味着 ”我没有必要了解所有事“。

Helpfulness means I don't have to know everything,

I just have to work among people who are good at getting and giving help.

我只需要在一群愿意寻求 并给予帮助的人之间工作。

At SAP, they reckon that you can answer any question in 17 minutes.

在SAP（德国软件公司），他们算出一个人 可以在17分钟之内回答任何问题。

But there isn't a single high-tech company I've worked with

但是，从没有一个 和我合作过的高科技公司

that imagines for a moment that this is a technology issue,

曾经觉得这是个技术问题，

because what drives helpfulness is people getting to know each other.

因为驱使大家互助的 正是彼此间的互相了解。

Now that sounds so obvious, and we think it'll just happen normally,

既然互助听起来那么浅显， 让我们觉得它会自然发生，

but it doesn't.

但并非如此。

When I was running my first software company,

当我在经营第一家软件公司时，

I realized that we were getting stuck.

我意识到我们陷入了困境。

There was a lot of friction, but not much else,

除了许多摩擦就没有别的了，

and I gradually realized the brilliant, creative people that I'd hired

后来我渐渐认识到， 我雇的那些聪明又有创造力的人

didn't know each other.

并不了解彼此。

They were so focused on their own individual work,

他们将全部的精力都 投入了各自的工作，

they didn't even know who they were sitting next to,

他们甚至都不知道 是谁坐在他们旁边，

and it was only when I insisted that we stop working

只有当我坚持让大家停掉工作，

and invest time in getting to know each other

花些时间去认识他人的时候，

that we achieved real momentum.

我们才取得了一些突破性的进展。

Now, that was 20 years ago, and now I visit companies

那是20年以前的事儿了， 如今我访问的公司

that have banned coffee cups at desks

都不允许员工在桌上放咖啡杯，

because they want people to hang out around the coffee machines

因为公司希望人们能够走到

咖啡机前与人交流。

and talk to each other.

The Swedes even have a special term for this.

在瑞士，甚至有个与之相关的专有名词。

They call it fika, which means more than a coffee break.

他们管这叫做 fika， 意思是超越茶歇的活动。

也表示集体的休整。

It means collective restoration.

At Idexx, a company up in Maine,

在缅因州的Idexx公司，

they've created vegetable gardens on campus so that people

他们在园区里修了一个菜园， 让所有部门的人

from different parts of the business

能够凑到一起干活儿，

can work together and get to know the whole business that way.

并且了解整个公司的运营状况。

Have they all gone mad?

是这些人都疯了吗？

Quite the opposite -- they've figured out that when the going gets tough,

恰恰相反， 他们知道了当事情进展不顺时，

and it always will get tough

当然，如果你的工作具有突破性的意义，

if you're doing breakthrough work that really matters,

就必然会遇到瓶颈期，

what people need is social support,

人们需要的是社交上的支持，

and they need to know who to ask for help.

也需要知道他们可以向谁求助。

Companies don't have ideas; only people do.

公司造不出创意，只有人可以。

And what motivates people

真正激励人的

are the bonds and loyalty and trust they develop between each other.

是彼此间建立的联系、忠诚和信任。

What matters is the mortar,

重要的是砂浆，

not just the bricks.

而不只是砖头。

Now, when you put all of this together,

当你将两者放在一起，

what you get is something called social capital.

就是所谓的社会资本。

Social capital is the reliance and interdependency that builds trust.

它是一种信赖和依存， 能够建立信任。

The term comes from sociologists who were studying communities

这个名词来自于一位社会学家， 他对社区的研究证明了

that proved particularly resilient in times of stress.

社会在紧张时期具备更高的适应性。

Social capital is what gives companies momentum,

社会资本可以让公司稳固，

and social capital is what makes companies robust.

也可以使公司更有活力。

那它有什么实际意义吗？

What does this mean in practical terms?

It means that time is everything,

它代表：时间就是一切，

because social capital compounds with time.

社会资本会随着时间增加。

So teams that work together longer get better, because it takes time

所以团队磨合得越久就工作得越好，

to develop the trust you need for real candor and openness.

因为要让人真正坦诚和坦率， 就需要时间来建立信任。

And time is what builds value.

时间会造就价值。

When Alex Pentland suggested to one company

当Alex Pentland在建议一家公司

that they synchronize coffee breaks

整合茶歇时间，

so that people would have time to talk to each other,

让所有人都有时间去和别人交流时，

profits went up 15 million dollars,

公司的利润增加了1500万美元，

and employee satisfaction went up 10 percent.

并且雇员满意度上升了10%。

Not a bad return on social capital,

这份社会资本的回报还不赖，

which compounds even as you spend it.

甚至消耗的过程中还会不断增加。

Now, this isn't about chumminess, and it's no charter for slackers,

这里不涉及裙带关系， 也没有懒人的位置，

因为这样去做的人 总是会有些毛毛躁躁，

because people who work this way tend to be kind of scratchy,

impatient, absolutely determined to think for themselves

急功近利，心里只有自己，

because that's what their contribution is.

因为他们觉得 这才能体现出自己的价值。

Conflict is frequent because candor is safe.

冲突会很频繁，但坦率总是好的。

And that's how good ideas turn into great ideas,

这就是一个尚可的点子变成杰作的过程，

because no idea is born fully formed.

因为没有哪个点子生来就完美。

It emerges a little bit as a child is born,

它就像新生儿的诞生一样，

kind of messy and confused, but full of possibilities.

有点混乱、困惑，但是未来充满可能。

And it's only through the generous contribution, faith and challenge

在接受外界慷慨的帮助， 有了信念，战胜挑战之后，

that they achieve their potential.

才能发挥出它们最大的潜能。

And that's what social capital supports.

这就是社会资本所支持的。

Now, we aren't really used to talking about this,

但我们很少谈论这个话题，

about talent, about creativity, in this way.

很少用这种方式谈论智慧和创造力。

We're used to talking about stars.

我们习惯谈论明星员工。

So I started to wonder, well, if we start working this way,

所以我开始想， 如果我们开始以这种方式培养人才，

does that mean no more stars?

是不是就不会再有明星员工了呢？

So I went and I sat in on the auditions

所以当我在欣赏

at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

伦敦皇家艺术学院戏剧的试演时，

And what I saw there really surprised me,

眼前的一切真的让我很惊讶，

because the teachers weren't looking for individual pyrotechnics.

因为教授们并不看重个人的表演能力。

They were looking for what happened between the students,

他们看重的是学生之间那种互动，

because that's where the drama is.

因为戏剧就是这样产生的。

And when I talked to producers of hit albums,

而当我与一些畅销专辑的 制作人交谈时，

they said, "Oh sure, we have lots of superstars in music.

他们通常说， “当然了，我们有很多音乐巨星。

It's just, they don't last very long.

只不过他们的名气并没有持续很久。

It's the outstanding collaborators who enjoy the long careers,

合作性非常强的人， 在事业上往往可以做得更久，

因为当他们激励别人做到最好的同时，

because bringing out the best in others is how they found the best

in themselves."

也往往会将最好的自己呈现出来。”

And when I went to visit companies that are renowned

当我访问那些以独特性

for their ingenuity and creativity,

和创造性闻名的公司，

I couldn't even see any superstars,

我甚至并没有看到什么明星员工，

because everybody there really mattered.

因为每个人都很重要。

And when I reflected on my own career,

当我反思自己的事业，

and the extraordinary people I've had the privilege to work with,

以及我有幸合作的出色的同事时，

I realized how much more we could give each other

我意识到如果我们放弃 做“超级鸡“的话，

if we just stopped trying to be superchickens.

我们其实可以给予对方更多。

(Laughter) (Applause)

（笑）（鼓掌）

Once you appreciate truly how social work is,

一旦你们真正理解 人与人之间的互动，

a lot of things have to change.

很多问题就会迎刃而解。

Management by talent contest has routinely pitted

人才竞赛类型的管理哲学总是鼓励

employees against each other.

员工们互相竞争。

Now, rivalry has to be replaced by social capital.

如今社会资本已经代替了竞争。

For decades, we've tried to motivate people with money,

几十年来， 我们试过用金钱去激励人们，

even though we've got a vast amount of research that shows

尽管已有大量的研究表明，

that money erodes social connectedness.

金钱将破坏人与人之间的社会连接。

Now, we need to let people motivate each other.

现在，我们应该让人们互相激励。

And for years, we've thought that leaders were heroic soloists who were expected,

多年来，我们认为领导者 应该像救世主那样

all by themselves, to solve complex problems.

独自解决复杂的难题。

Now, we need to redefine leadership

如今，我们应该重新定义领导力，

as an activity in which conditions are created

领导力就是有能力 去创造一种环境，

in which everyone can do their most courageous thinking together.

让其中的每个人都能集思广益。

We know that this works.

我们知道这行得通。

When the Montreal Protocol called for the phasing out of CFCs,

当蒙特利尔议定书提倡 逐步禁用氯氟烃时，

the chlorofluorocarbons implicated in the hole in the ozone layer,

因为氯氟烃会导致臭氧空洞，

the risks were immense.

这样的风险是极大的。

CFCs were everywhere,

氯氟烃无处不在，

而且没有人清楚能否找到替代品。

and nobody knew if a substitute could be found.

But one team that rose to the challenge adopted three key principles.

但是有个团队迎接了挑战 并采用了三个关键原则。

The first was the head of engineering, Frank Maslen, said,

工程学院的院长Frank Maslen这样说：

there will be no stars in this team.

第一，团队里不应该有明星队员。

We need everybody.

我们需要每个人。

Everybody has a valid perspective.

每个人都有独到的见解。

Second, we work to one standard only:

第二， 我们做事只遵循一个标准：

the best imaginable.

没有最好，只有更好。

And third, he told his boss, Geoff Tudhope,

第三，他告诉他的老板Geoff Tudhope，

that he had to butt out,

不应该进行干涉，

because he knew how disruptive power can be.

因为Frank明白 干涉别人的破坏力不容忽视。

Now, this didn't mean Tudhope did nothing.

当然，这并不意味着 Tudhope只能毫无作为。

He gave the team air cover,

他要保证团队的正常运作，

and he listened to ensure that they honored their principles.

也会倾听团队的意见 并确保他们遵守原则。

And it worked: Ahead of all the other companies tackling this hard problem,

这招奏效了：Tudopen的公司在处理 这个棘手问题时的表现，远远超越了其他公司，

this group cracked it first.

首先获得了成功。

And to date, the Montreal Protocol

到目前为止，蒙特利尔协定书

is the most successful international environmental agreement

是执行的最成功的

ever implemented.

国际环境合约。

There was a lot at stake then,

那时还有好多亟待处理的事情，

and there's a lot at stake now,

现在也一样。

and we won't solve our problems if we expect it to be solved

如果我们仅仅寄希望于一两个超人，

by a few supermen or superwomen.

那么肯定不能解决问题。

Now we need everybody,

现在我们需要每一个人，

because it is only when we accept that everybody has value

因为只有我们承认每个人都有价值，

that we will liberate the energy and imagination and momentum we need

才能充分释放我们需要的能量、 想象力和动力，

to create the best beyond measure.

创造出一片新天地。

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

（掌声）

(Applause)