Google's Guide To Building A Great Team
What is the magic formula for creating a great team? For success? For great leadership? You already know, it isn't magic. It's a mix of hard work and great values. That's it. But Google's People Operations (their HR team) did a little research on what makes their Google teams so effective. According to their blog, “Re:Work With Google,” they conducted 200+ interviews over a two year period with their employees and looked at several different attributes of their Google teams. Their most interesting finding: Who is on a team matters less than how the team members interact, structure their work, and view their contributions. Here are the five key team dynamics they found make successful teams, taken from the “Re:Work With Google” Blog:
Psychological Safety
Ask your team: Can we take risks on this team without feeling insecure or embarrassed? Team members should feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of each other. According to the research, psychological safety is the most important of these five dynamics. It's the foundation for the other four. You cannot get anything done unless your contribution will be taken seriously by your team. If you don't feel safe, you're more likely to lie about mistakes, about issues you anticipate, and dismiss any of your potentially good ideas. Without this, you become a passive team member.
Dependability
Ask your team: Can we count on each other to do high quality work on time? Team members who get things done on time set and meet a high bar for excellence. Sure, you can come up with great ideas. But more importantly, you must be able to follow through.
Structure and Clarity
Ask: Are goals, roles, and execution plans on our team clear? Teams members need to be clear on team dynamics and their contribution. Even the smartest teams fail at proper planning. The, “we'll figure it out as we go” method can work in some unpredictable situations. However, if team members are confused, they lose confidence and miscommunications happen. Create clarity!
Meaning of Work
Ask: Are we working on something that is personally important for each of us? Is each team member invested in your project? Any Debbie-Downer's or Negative-Nancy's who disrupt team encouragement? That lowers your team morale. Rally around positive motivation instead – the meaning of your work. Make sure every team member wants to be there. Otherwise, why show up?
Impact of Work
Ask: Do we fundamentally believe that the work we're doing matters? Does the work have the ability to make change? Can it made a positive impact? Maybe you're not discovering the cure to cancer, but you are making a lasting contribution to your company. That is extremely important. Remind each other that your work is vital. You're doing something great.
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