Teams Start with Human Connections | Matt Eng | TEDxSanAntonio

Summary

The speaker discusses the importance of building effective teams, drawing a parallel between golfers and designers who traditionally work individually. Highlighting Paul Azinger's strategy of pairing golfers by personality for the Ryder Cup, the speaker emphasizes the value of communication and connection over mere skill set. The narrative shifts to a design classroom where the teacher's initial focus on individual excellence led to low completion rates. By studying a successful student, Emma, who built a supportive team, the speaker illustrates how fostering human connection and collaboration can lead to better outcomes. The talk concludes with a call to educate students on the importance of teamwork and support networks for achieving lifelong goals.

Takeaways

• 🏌️‍♂️ Golfers and designers are traditionally individualistic, focusing on personal skill development rather than teamwork.
• 🤝 The 2008 Ryder Cup captain, Paul Azinger, demonstrated the importance of team dynamics by pairing golfers based on personality rather than skill set.
• 🏆 Paul Azinger's strategy led to a win, highlighting the impact of effective communication and connection on team success.
• 🤔 The speaker reflects on the traditional approach to team building in software design, questioning its effectiveness.
• 👩‍🏫 In a design portfolio class, only a few students completed their portfolios, indicating a failure in fostering a supportive team environment.
• 👩‍💼 Emma's success story shows the value of building a cohesive team with the right mix of skills, commitment, and connection.
• 💡 The speaker realized the need to shift focus from individual excellence to fostering team communication and collaboration in the classroom.
• 🗣️ Encouraging students to communicate and support each other can improve their performance and prepare them better for the job market.
• 📚 The education system often overlooks teaching students the importance of human connection and teamwork, which are crucial for success.
• 🌟 By teaching students to build cohesive teams, we can influence how they contribute to the workplace and the world.

Q & A

What commonality does the speaker draw between golfers and designers?

The speaker notes that both golfers and designers tend to work individually and are not naturally inclined to work together as a team.

What was the traditional approach to pairing golfers in the Ryder Cup before Paul Azinger's captaincy?

Traditionally, golfers were paired based on their skill sets, much like how teams are built in professional environments.

What innovative strategy did Paul Azinger implement for the 2008 Ryder Cup?

Paul Azinger paired golfers based on their personalities, believing that effective communication and connection could enhance their performance on the golf course.

How did Paul Azinger's strategy impact the outcome of the 2008 Ryder Cup?

Paul Azinger's strategy led to the US golf team winning the tournament, demonstrating the power of personality-based pairing and effective communication.

What lesson does the speaker take from Paul Azinger's approach to team building?

The speaker learns that fostering better connections and stronger communication among team members can lead to improved performance, even when individual skills are already high.

Why did the speaker initially struggle with building a cohesive team in their design portfolio class?

The speaker struggled because they emphasized individual excellence and the importance of having the best portfolio, which did not encourage teamwork or collaboration among students.

Who is Emma in the context of the speaker's story?

Emma is a student who successfully built a cohesive team to support her in job applications and portfolio completion, ultimately leading to her getting hired.

What was the key factor that allowed Emma to build a successful team?

Emma's team was built on a solid foundation of shared skills, commitment, and meaningful connections, which allowed them to support each other effectively.

How did the speaker change their teaching approach after learning from Emma's success?

The speaker began requiring students to communicate with each other by checking in with every class, encouraging them to ask for help and fostering a collaborative environment.

What is the main takeaway the speaker wants to impart about team building in educational and professional settings?

The main takeaway is the importance of teaching students to connect on a human level, be vulnerable, offer value, and build supportive groups to achieve their lifelong goals, emphasizing that they cannot and should not do it alone.