The Keys to Building Great Teams

Google dedicated resources to determine how to build great teams. It’s Project Aristotle evaluated 180 Google teams, conducted more than 200 interviews and analyzed 250 different team attributes.  After spending millions of dollars and thousands of hours of time, the study came up empty.  There were no clear patterns that Google could identify to consistently create great teams.

Google headed back to the drawing board and started focusing on “group norms,” traditions, behavioral standards and unwritten rules that dictate how teams operate.  According to an article in The New York Times, “Norms can be unspoken or openly acknowledged, but their influence is profound.”  

Armed with this new perspective, Google researched unspoken customs among its highest performing teams and found five key characteristics of the best performers.  They were:  

Dependability:  Highest performing teams meet deadlines and expectations.

Structure and clarity:  High-performing teams have clear goals and well-defined roles.

Meaning:  The work performed is personally significant to each group member.

Impact:  Members believe their work is purposeful and impacts the greater good.

Psychological safety:  Group members feel comfortable taking risks, voicing opinions and asking judgment-free questions.  There is a comfort level that team members can be themselves and are willing to step outside of safety zones.

There is no scientific algorithm that will guarantee outstanding performance.  However, focusing on the five norms will definitely increase the possibility of a dream outcome.