Why Do Human Beings Collaborate? Steve Den

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Why do human beings collaborate? Ever since Darwin, biologists have been vexed by the question, because in evolutionary terms, selfless behavior makes no sense. We would expect altruists who act contrary to their own interest to be systematically eliminated from the species. In an interesting new book, The Social Conquest of Earth, Edward O. Wilson argues that altruism is a result not of individual selection, but of group selection. Wilson contends that a tribe with many members willing to contribute or sacrifice themselves for the common good will be victorious over less collaborative tribes.

Wilson draws from social psychology, archaeology, and evolutionary biology to examine species with advanced social lives, termed eusociality—bees, ants, termites, and humans. These species have been extraordinarily successful yet are rare. Wilson explains that our ancestors were one of only two dozen or so animal lines to develop eusociality, characterized by cooperation, care for the young, and division of labor across generations. He emphasizes that evolutionarily, competition among ants or bees is best understood at the colony level rather than at the individual level. The fitness battle occurs at the hive, not just within the individual.

Regarding human evolution, Wilson proposes that humans have become genetically predisposed to join groups. Once involved in a group, members tend to see the group as superior to others. Our social identities—tribes, teams, communities, nations—compete externally, yet within groups, individuals also compete for survival through individual selection. This creates a dual dynamic: group selection favors cooperation internally, but individual selection promotes selfishness. Overall, this duality has led to a tension where humans embody both altruism and selfishness, the "better angels" and "sinners" of our nature, driven by multilevel selection.

Implications for Management

This evolutionary perspective offers insights into organizational behavior. Firms fostering a culture of altruism and collaboration are more likely to succeed over those driven by selfishness. Conversely, monetary motivation tends to trigger the selfish gene, reducing innovation and agility. As Dan Pink discusses in Drive, extrinsic motivators like bonuses often narrow focus, hampering creative problem-solving. Therefore, organizations that cultivate internal collaboration and intrinsic motivation—such as purpose, mastery, and autonomy—are apt to be more innovative and resilient.

Customer integration also reflects this group-oriented mindset. Jeff Bezos famously emphasizes treating the customer as the most important person, symbolized by an empty chair in meetings, reinforcing that the customer is part of the group. This perspective enables Amazon to prioritize customer needs, fostering innovation free from short-term pressures. Similarly, Apple’s internal culture involves segregated teams that operate independently to avoid internal politics, which helps sustain innovation through focus and minimized internal competition. Wilson's theory suggests that organizations may benefit from a balance—encouraging collaboration internally while maintaining awareness of external competition, possibly by cultivating a shared culture where internal cooperation coexists with a focus on customer needs.

In conclusion, understanding the evolutionary basis of human collaboration informs effective management strategies. Cultivating a culture that promotes altruism, intrinsic motivation, and internal coherence can enhance organizational adaptability and innovation, critical in today's competitive marketplace. Recognizing the inherent tension between self-interest and collective well-being allows leaders to design environments that channel human nature positively, resulting in sustained success.

References

• Wilson, E. O. (2012). The Social Conquest of Earth. Liveright Publishing.
• Pink, D. (2009). Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Riverhead Books.
• Denning, S. (2011). Why do we collaborate? Retrieved from https://www.stevedenning.com
• Grant, A. (2013). Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success. Penguin Business.
• Nowak, M. A. (2006). Five rules for the evolution of cooperation. Science, 314(5805), 1560–1563.
• Boyd, R., & Richerson, P. J. (2005). Natural Selection and Social Learning. Human Nature, 16(4), 413-430.
• Rhodes, G. (2010). The evolution of cooperation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11(10), 16-28.
• Harvard Business Review. (2013). Managing the internal competition for innovation. HBR Guide to Building Your Business Case.
• Katzenbach, J., & Smith, D. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization. Harvard Business School Press.
• West, S. A., & Gardner, A. (2010). Altruism, cooperation, and social evolution. PLoS Biology, 8(12), e1000314.