Where We Live: Unlikely Lessons In Democracy

Dan Malloy will face a swarm of problems when he takes office tomorrow including how to hire the right people and how to get everyone moving in the same direction.

It’s a series of dilemmas that all new administrations face, and so today we’ll provide some unsolicited advice from some unlikely places. 

Thomas Seeley studies bees – and is fascinated by the so-called “swarm intelligence” these amazing insects exhibit. How do they all seem to work together so well?  In his new book, Honeybee Democracy, Seeley explores the wisdom of the hive. 

But not all problems can be solved by the group – sometimes it takes a great leader, someone like the famed Antarctic Explorer Ernest Shackleton.  In 1914, he took his crew on an exploration to the Antarctic that failed to reach its final goal – but succeed in bringing the crew home safely.  We’ll talk about what Dan Malloy can learn from a guy who managed in a time of ultimate crisis. 

Finally, we’ll take a behavioral economist’s view of the issues ahead.  Yale’s Ian Ayres studies incentives – and we’ll find out what kinds of carrots and sticks might work to get buy-in from across the state.