Need custom team swag? Print custom t-shirts, athletic wear, and more in our design studio.
If you’re like most people, then you’ve probably encountered the two extremes of teamwork. You’ve seen organized collectives that simply ‘click’ with one another; men and women who work so well in tandem they seem to be of a single mind. You’ve also seen bands of misfits who look like they could devolve into chaos at any given moment; slapdash groups that seem incapable of getting anything done.
It isn’t random chance that differentiates one from the other. As noted by Alex “Sandy” Pentland of Harvard Business Review, there’s a science behind teamwork. It’s something that team leaders and team members alike would do well to understand.
“We think of building teams that operate well as an art, or even magic,” writes Pentland. “It’s not something you can plan; it’s lightning-in-a-bottle stuff that you just embrace when you’re lucky enough to come across it.”
This is, explains Pentland, an erroneous way of looking at things. Back in 2012, he set up an experiment with MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory in an effort to figure out the hard science behind teamwork. The experiment was a success, and its results supported what many have been saying about teamwork for years.
“At MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory, we have identified the elusive group dynamics that characterize high-performing teams,” explains Pentland. “These dynamics are observable, quantifiable, and measurable. And, perhaps most important, teams can be taught how to strengthen them.”
Communication
Pentland’s experiment focused almost entirely on how team members communicate with one another. There’s a reason for that. According to MIT’s findings, communication is the most important factor in teamwork. How people within a team speak to one another determines whether they will succeed or fail.
The study determined that the most successful teams have the following characteristics in their communication:
- Everyone talks and listens equally. Contributions to team conversations are short and to the point.
- Team members face one another when they speak, and are energetic in their speech and gestures.
- Team members don’t use the leader as an intermediary. They communicate directly with each other.
- Side conversations between team members are quite frequent.
- Team members are willing to break off, explore outside the team, and bring information back for everyone’s benefit.
In addition, the experiment determined three key aspects of communication that impact performance: energy(how much vigor is present in communication), engagement (how well people pay attention to one another), and exploration (how well team members engage with other teams). Of course, in order to ensure effective communication, there are other traits and qualities that must be present in a winning team. We’re going to discuss those next.
Emotional Intelligence
According to a study published in Science Magazine’s October 2010 edition, the intelligence of each member in a group has very little impact on how well that group performs. What does influence group performance is emotional intelligence – how aware each member is of their own emotional intricacies and how well they can empathize with others in their group. Groups where each member is socially sensitive are much more effective, as each member is able to respond to the needs of one another.
This, in turn, creates a more positive environment; one in which everyone works far more effectively.
A Good Mix Of The Right Personalities
Contrary to what some might believe, the best teams are not comprised of people who all think, feel, and act the same way. Instead, teams are made more effective by mixing up personality types and skillsets – particularly where introversion and extraversion are concerned. The differences of each team member ensures that the team as a whole will be able to handle a wider range of challenges.
Direction And Purpose
A directionless team is like a ship without a navigation system. Sure, it might eventually reach its destination, but there’s no telling how long it will take or what shape it will be in on arrival. It’s for this reason that all the most effective teams have a clear direction, with concrete goals and an established purpose behind their existence.
Team members all know what their goal is, and they’re motivated to pursue it.
Effective Decision Making
According to research from the University of Waterloo, effective teams have a systematic decision-making process in place. This process has been agreed-upon by all team members, and gives everyone a chance to offer their input. In addition, effective teams hold regular meetings where pertinent issues are discussed in full.
A Non-Toxic Culture
Effective teams have a culture of shared responsibility and cooperation. Each team member holds similar values to each other team member where their goals are concerned, and people are encouraged to be supportive of one another. By extension, ineffective teams focus largely on individualistic achievements, with a highly toxic culture of conflict and selfishness.
Leadership
Last but certainly not least, a truly effective team has a strong leader at the helm. That leader (or leaders, in some cases) knows how to motivate their teammates and bring in the people they need for their team to succeed. More importantly, they’re able to provide constructive feedback that enables everyone to be better at their jobs.
In other words, effective leadership doesn’t command and control – it encourages, enables, and inspires.
Closing Thoughts
You’ve probably seen the two extremes of teamwork at least once. You’ve witnessed groups that seem to share a single mind alongside mismatched gatherings that can’t even seem to agree when they should meet. Now that you understand what differentiates them from each other, you’ve a better idea of how your team can be the former rather than the latter.
Need custom team swag? Print custom t-shirts, athletic wear, and more in our design studio.