How Google builds the perfect team

Summary

Google's 'Project Aristotle' uncovered the key to building successful teams: it's not about who is on the team, but how they interact. Their research revealed two crucial behaviors for success: equality in conversational turn-taking, where all team members contribute equally, and ostentatious listening, where people actively show they’re listening. These behaviors foster psychological safety, allowing teams to unlock their best ideas, collaborate more effectively, and drive innovation. A team that feels psychologically safe is proven to be the most successful.

Takeaways

• 😀 Google’s Project Aristotle aimed to identify the key factors for building successful teams.
• 😀 Initially, Google believed that team success was driven by having people who liked each other and a mix of personality types.
• 😀 However, Google’s study found no correlation between who was on a team and its success.
• 😀 The most important factor for team success is how team members interact with each other.
• 😀 Teams where everyone speaks equally during meetings tend to perform better.
• 😀 Equality in conversational turn-taking is a key behavior for team success.
• 😀 Ostentatious listening, such as making eye contact and repeating what others say, is essential for creating a successful team dynamic.
• 😀 Psychological safety, the feeling that team members can speak up without judgment, is critical to fostering innovation and collaboration.
• 😀 Teams with high psychological safety unlock the best ideas from each member and collaborate more effectively.
• 😀 Successful teams don’t depend on whether members are friends or enemies, but on how they communicate and interact.
• 😀 When a team feels psychologically safe, they are more likely to produce their best work and creative solutions.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of Google's Project Aristotle?

The main purpose of Google's Project Aristotle was to determine how to build the perfect team by conducting a large data study to understand the factors that contribute to team success.

What was Google's initial hypothesis about successful teams?

Initially, Google's hypothesis was that the best teams were formed by putting people together who liked each other, with a mix of extroverts and introverts, and possibly including people who were friends outside of work.

What did Google discover about the importance of who is on a team?

Google discovered that the specific individuals on a team didn't matter much for its success. They couldn't find any correlations between team membership and team success.

What did Google find mattered more than the composition of the team?

Google found that the way team members interacted with each other mattered far more than who was on the team.

What are the two main behaviors that contribute to a successful team?

The two main behaviors that contribute to a successful team are 'equality in conversational turn-taking' and 'ostentatious listening.'

What is meant by 'equality in conversational turn-taking'?

Equality in conversational turn-taking means that during meetings, everyone should speak roughly the same amount. This ensures that all team members have an equal opportunity to contribute.

How does 'ostentatious listening' improve team success?

Ostentatious listening involves showing that you're actively listening to others by actions such as repeating what they just said or making eye contact, which creates an environment of psychological safety and improves team dynamics.

What is psychological safety, and why is it important for teams?

Psychological safety is a condition where team members feel safe to share their ideas without fear of judgment. It is the single greatest factor correlating with a group's success, as it allows for the free exchange of ideas and enhances innovation.

How does psychological safety contribute to a team's success?

Psychological safety allows team members to unlock their best ideas, collaborate effectively, and be more innovative, ultimately contributing to the team's overall success.

What does Google's fundamental belief about team success emphasize?

Google's fundamental belief is that the best ideas and work come from a team that is united and operates in a psychologically safe environment, where all members contribute freely.