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Teams and the One Thing That Makes Them Successful

Posted by Jonathan Klane on Aug 23, 2021 1:00:00 PM

Previous: Leadership, What Do We All Want

Teams, we’ve all been on several throughout our lives. The first team we were likely on was as a child playing a game with friends. We quickly learned that the more we worked together, cooperated, collaborated, and engaged as a single organism, the more likely we’d win the game.  

After all, a team is a group working on a shared goal – be it a game, a new work process, or innovating a solution to a problem. We learn the value of creative ideas and not to be critical of team members. Teams develop many shared traits – relatedness, skills, trust, and a sense of purpose, to name a few.  

In their “Project Archimedes,” Google determined that psychological safety was the most critical trait exhibited by highly effective teams. Think about the dynamics of groups who need to solve complex problems. Everyone needs to contribute their ideas and possible solutions freely.  

Psychological safety is basically trust that we won’t be criticized for a risky contribution. We feel comfortable making creative contributions and taking psychological risks. We learn the value of relating to each other closely and the strengths it brings. 

This relatability can seem like or even become a friendship. And strong friendships are characterized by two things – vulnerability and forgiveness. 

The more psychological safety and team trust we can affect, the more effective our teams can be. 

Then we can solve our work problems, innovate solutions, and maybe win a game or two. And the more fun our teams will have. Build your teams with this in mind. Do great things. Boldly go. 

Next: Effectiveness vs. efficiency – Let’s not confuse the two

Sources: 

  • Harvard Business Review
  • Forbes 
  • Inc. 

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