Build a Business That is Smarter Than You with Jennifer Sundberg

In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata revisits his interviews with Jennifer Sundberg, Co-CEO of Board Intelligence and author of Collective Intelligence: Build a Business That's Smarter Than You. Jennifer advocates for leveraging the collective brainpower of teams rather than relying solely on superstar leaders. She sites examples from Apple and Amazon, where groundbreaking ideas like the iPhone and Amazon Prime emerged from teams, not

just their iconic founders.

Andy and Jennifer discuss cultures of humility, curiosity and open questioning to foster innovation. Leaders must recognise they don’t have all the answers and encourage contributions without fear of criticism. Over-reliance on top-down decision-making can slow progress and waste intellectual potential. Jennifer also explores reverse mentoring, learning from failure, and the power of asking “how” and “why” questions to drive deeper

understanding.

The episode underscores the importance of clear communication, shared critical thinking, and inclusivity in decision-making. Jennifer’s insights provide actionable strategies for leaders to harness collective intelligence and build smarter, more resilient businesses.

Key Takeaways:

1. Collective intelligence is crucial for business success – Great businesses aren't built by superstar leaders alone but by tapping into the collective brainpower of teams.

2. Top-down leadership has downsides

3.Questioning culture is essential – Simple "how" and "why" questions can drive deeper understanding.

4. Clear communication matters – Complex information needs to be communicated clearly and concisely.

5. Focus is vital alongside openness – While encouraging new ideas, asking "Is our focus still the right focus?" periodically helps balance openness with strategic direction.

6. Even great thinking and critical analysis can fail if the organisational culture isn't ready to accept challenging ideas. A widespread appetite for questioning and critical thinking is necessary across the whole organisation.

Connect with Andy Lopata

Website

Connect with Jennifer Sundberg

LinkedIn Board Intelligence 

Collective Intelligence: How to build a business that’s smarter than you