Intelligent Machines & Intelligent Teams
An intelligent machine is “any machine that can accomplish its specific task in the presence of uncertainty and variability in its environment” (Jarvis). Is your team working like an intelligent machine?
Intelligent machines are made up of lots of parts that are designed and engineered to work together, much like a team. Each part has a specific role that if not done correctly or utilized to the fullest brings the whole machine to a stop. Because we are so alike we should take a lesson from these machines. Each member of a team has a very specific function and skill set that makes the team better. Some are strong decision makers, some are problem solvers or quick to recognize patterns, others are savvy with data. There is a brain of the operation whose job it is to steer the team in the right direction with coordinates and a purpose. Their job is also to make sure that each of their team members is being utilized to their full potential to increase productivity and minimize overwork.
To be successful and helpful to your customers your team must also have adaptability. These machines have mechanisms installed that allow them to survey their terrain and make decisions in the best interest of the task at hand, careful not to over excavate and to avoid accidents. Teams must also have these critical thinking skills and situational awareness in order to take action quickly and in the best interest of the customer.
We have a lot in common with the machines we work with. We urge you to think about the following questions.
- What is your team’s purpose?
- What are the parts that your team needs to get the job done, and who plays those roles?
- Are any parts not working correctly?
- Are any parts under utilized?
Consider how being purposeful in this way can make your team efficient and adaptable like an intelligent machine.
Sources:
Jarvis, John F. , and Edward Grant. “Intelligent machine.” June 2019, AccessScience, McGraw Hill, https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.348225.
