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Empowering Groups & Teams | Dr. Colin Fisher

Living and working in groups is both a blessing and a curse. Too often, groups are in the news for all the wrong reasons: conformity, polarization, prejudice, conflict, and general mass stupidity. The secret is understanding how to work with the invisible forces of group dynamics instead of being mindlessly pushed around by them.

In this interview, Dr. Colin Fisher shares his research on what leaders need to know and do in order to get their teams to perform up to their potential. He also shares how conformity can be used as an asset and competition can be detrimental to the way groups and teams operate. Because one of the methods of creating group cohesion is to create an “out” group, Dr. Fisher finishes with a conversation about ways in which the division plaguing many countries can be repaired.

Dr. Fisher received his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University, and previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Boston University’s School of Management. Prior to his Ph.D. he studied improvisation in the arts at New York University (M.A.) and jazz trumpet at New England Conservatory of Music (B.Mus.). In his prior career as a jazz trumpet player, Colin was a long-time member of the Grammy-nominated Either/Orchestra, with whom he toured extensively and recorded several critically acclaimed albums. 

Originally from Redmond, Washington in the USA, he now lives in Northeast London with his wife and two children. He can sometimes be found performing at jazz jams throughout London.  

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Don MacPherson is the founder, CEO, and Host of 12 Geniuses

Don MacPherson is host of 12 Geniuses - a podcast for curious and voracious learners. A six-time entrepreneur, Don spent 25 years researching the employee and customer experiences, the attributes of great leadership, and how healthy organizational cultures are created and sustained. Now, Don interviews geniuses from around the world about the trends shaping the way we live and work. From AI to biotechnology, aging to addiction, cybersecurity to privacy, and climate change to space travel, Don uses these insights to help business leaders better understand what these trends are, how they are positioned to disrupt companies and industries, and how new value can be created for those willing to make the necessary changes.

An avid traveler and volunteer, Don has visited every corner of the world and been a Big Brother mentor for more than 20 years. He is the former executive director Think2Perform Research Institute where he helped to create the organization’s Future Leaders Academy. Don is a board member of Leadership Garden, an organization that helps young people develop the life skills needed to make a positive difference in their community. In October 2024, Don co-founded Home at Home - an organization that enables seniors to age gracefully, safely, and vibrantly in the comfort of their own homes.