manual de instrucciones

Ego —  What is it? What is its function?

1. Self-defense mechanism: fight or flight.
2. Attempts to take the best possible decision for our own comfort and physical integrity,
   according to the effort performed.
3. By default, the ego looks for stability, preservation, NO RISKS, no creativity, not adaptation to new enviroments (warning!!!)

1. Pluses:
   1. We take calculated risks.
   2. It encourages us to work in groups
      to obtain social relevance.
2. Minuses:
   1. It’s the number one enemy of good leadership.
   2. While it gives a feeling of being protected,
      it is detrimental on ourselves,
      and throws people off.
3. What can we do with the ego?
   It won’t go away, but at least we can “turn it down.”
   Difficult,we know. Most of people don’t see themselves.
   One idea: very small groups. More than six, it is a suicide to your project.

Ego — How to manage it and make sure it becomes beneficial?

1. At the individual level:
   1. Take him/her a little away from his/her comfort zone, so s/he expands that area.
   2. Observation, meditation,
      awareness (speak nice, listen two or three).
   3. The group or organisation should help the person that is not aware of the effects of his/her ego.
      It may be a bit painful short term.
2. At group level:
   1. Use group tools so the ego
      doesn’t feel threatened and overreact.
   2. Divide into smaller groups (4 or 5 people).
   3. Separate people according to their thinking type.

DIFFERENT approaches to the SAME situation. Each person IS different

Mode (1) — face to face

1. PLUS: personal relationships, casual encounters, easier to express oneself, bonds in different areas…
2. MINUS: Much more costly in time, money, personal sacrifice; also environmentally.
3. Unless highly profitable, both for the individuals and for the group, it will be hard to repeat such a meeting.
4. It’s important to assess the efficiency vs. the cost, and looking at the pluses and minuses of having meetings in this mode vs. other alternatives.

Mode (2) — online

1. PLUS:
   • All at once, or whenever one is able. 
   • Being away but as if very close. 
   • Shared documents. 
   • Shorter meetings focused
     in one or a few items at a time. 
   • Available highly productive tools,
     such as small groups, shared screen… 
   • Less expensive, and less cumbersome (logistics, housing, food…),
     less demanding to the individuals.
2. MINUS:
   • It also has an environmental cost, although lower.
   • Some computer literacy is needes, as well as good social abilities.
3. Online meetings should be very productive; if not, they end up fading away.
4. It’s important to assess its efficiency, and looking at the pluses and minuses of having meetings in this mode vs. face to face