Social Dreaming, Group Dynamics, and Multi-Party Simulations: Shaping Collective Intelligence in Organizational Development

Author: Andrea Bell / Ben Grosser

In recent years, the corporate world has experienced a shift away from the traditional focus on financial performance and shareholder value. While profitability and financial sustainability remain important, organisations are increasingly recognising the value of human-centred approaches that foster creativity, cooperation, and innovation. This shift underscores the rising importance of collective intelligence, group dynamics, and participatory methods in addressing the challenges of today’s complex world. (McGowan, Four Fundamental Leadership Shifts You Need to Make in the Human Value Era, 2022)
This article explores five essential dimensions of this transition and how it is mirrored in the broader environment and organisational practices. These dimensions include:

• From Financial Metrics to Collective Solutions
• Psychological Safety and Group Dynamics
• Multi-Party Simulations and Organisational Learning
• ESG Impact and Beyond
• Embracing Collective Intelligence

These topics invite continued conversation and investigation into the transformation we currently witness in organisational development. This is an ongoing, evolving process.

1. From Financial Metrics to Collective Solutions
The traditional corporate model, heavily focused on financial metrics and short-term shareholder returns, must be revised to address modern organisations' intricate challenges. Social inequality, political instability, and climate change are prompting organisations to redefine success and adopt a more holistic approach to their societal role.
Systems thinking is emerging as a paradigm that businesses are increasingly adopting. It views business challenges as interconnected and dynamic. "Today, business needs systems thinking more than ever because the complex challenges we face are unprecedented,” notes renowned systems thinker Peter Senge (Senge, The Fifth Discipline, 2006). As businesses navigate these complex issues, collective intelligence, group innovation, and understanding group dynamics are becoming essential tools for long-term success.

2. Psychological Safety and Group Dynamics
This change coincides with a shift toward fostering psychological safety—a concept popularised by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson. Psychological safety is an environment where individuals feel free to express their ideas, take risks, and speak up without fear of negative repercussions. Research indicates that work environments with high levels of psychological safety promote increased creativity, collaboration, and engagement (Edmondson, The Fearless Organisation, 2018).
Group dynamics, the often invisible forces that shape how individuals collaborate, play a critical role in cultivating such environments. As businesses become more aware of the impact of group processes on performance, tools like social dreaming matrices and participatory workshops are being utilised to foster deeper group reflection and problem-solving.
Social dreaming, a method pioneered by Gordon Lawrence, delves into a group's collective unconscious by sharing and associating with dreams in a collective setting. This method enables participants to access deeper insights and emotions, often revealing unconscious dynamics that influence decision-making and relationships. Social dreaming is particularly useful in workplace settings where hidden conflicts or anxieties may affect team performance and behaviour.


3. Multi-Party Simulations and Organisational Learning
In an increasingly interconnected and turbulent world, organisations are recognising the need to prepare for complex and uncertain scenarios. As a result, there has been a surge in the use of multi-party simulations, which are interactive exercises during participatory workshops designed to replicate real-world scenarios and encourage diverse perspectives. These simulations help organisations prepare for future challenges by allowing them to experiment with potential solutions in a low-risk environment.
A World Economic Forum report highlights the importance of such exercises in building organisational resilience: “Collaborative simulations help leaders and teams understand systemic risks, develop adaptive strategies, and foster cross-functional collaboration” (WEF, Global Risks Report, 2022). Multi-party simulations encourage leaders to practice navigating ambiguity, conflict, and competing interests—critical skills for thriving in today’s uncertain world.


4. The Impact of ESG and Beyond
The rise of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards has accelerated the shift away from a solely profit-driven model. ESG considerations are becoming increasingly central to investment decisions, with companies now held accountable for their broader societal and environmental impacts. Organisations focused on ESG are likelier to adopt participatory decision-making and collaborative frameworks, as these approaches align with their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.
A recent McKinsey report highlights the value of strong ESG propositions: “Strong ESG propositions create value, fostering resilience in crises and driving long-term growth” (McKinsey Quarterly, 2022). Social dreaming and group dynamics are increasingly recognised as tools for surfacing collective insights and addressing the societal challenges that underpin the ESG movement.


5. Embracing Collective Intelligence
At the heart of these trends is a growing recognition of collective intelligence—the idea that groups can achieve far more than the sum of their individual contributions when they work together effectively. Organisations can harness this potential through group-based methods that foster environments where conflicts are resolved, new ideas are generated, and long-term strategies are co-created.
Embracing collective intelligence and participatory methods is no longer a luxury for organisations aiming to succeed in today’s complex landscape; it has become a strategic imperative. Whether fostering inclusive group dynamics, simulating uncertain futures, or tapping into the collective unconscious via social dreaming matrices, these approaches offer organisations a path forward in navigating 21st-century challenges.
To illustrate this shift, we have outlined five key areas of focus. Techniques such as social dreaming and multi-party simulations are proposed as entry points for understanding the new realities that organisations must contend with. The goal is not to predict the future but to offer frameworks encouraging exploration and collaboration. Human beings thrive and accomplish their most remarkable achievements in the community. By adopting these strategies, organisations can move beyond outdated routines and habits, opening the door to more adaptive, innovative systems—a sorely needed transition in today’s complex environment.
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Sources
- McGowan, H. (2022). Four Fundamental Leadership Shifts You Need to Make in the Human Value Era.
- Senge, P. (2006). The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organisation. Random House.
- Edmondson, A. (2018). The Fearless Organisation: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. Wiley.
- World Economic Forum (2022). Global Risks Report 2022. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-risks-report-2022
- McKinsey & Company (2022). The ESG Premium: New Insights from Global Research. McKinsey Quarterly.