How to turn a group of strangers into a team | Amy Edmondson

Summary

The script recounts the miraculous rescue of 33 miners trapped in the San José Copper Mine in Chile, highlighting the power of 'teaming'—collaborating across various boundaries to achieve a common goal. It contrasts teaming with traditional teamwork, emphasizing the necessity of such dynamic collaboration in today's fast-paced, globalized work environments. The talk explores the challenges of teaming, such as professional culture clashes, and the importance of leadership, humility, curiosity, and psychological safety in overcoming these barriers to achieve remarkable outcomes.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Chilean miners' rescue operation was a prime example of successful teaming, showcasing how diverse groups can collaborate to achieve a common goal.
• 🔄 'Teaming' refers to the dynamic process of coordinating and collaborating with various individuals across different boundaries to accomplish tasks.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Teaming is distinct from traditional teamwork as it often involves assembling new groups with different members for each project or task.
• ⏰ The urgency and complexity of modern work often necessitate teaming, as opposed to relying on stable, long-term teams.
• 🏥 In environments like hospitals, teaming is critical due to the constant need for coordination among diverse caregivers to provide quality patient care.
• 🎬 The creation of an animated film like 'Frozen' is a testament to teaming, where experts from various fields come together in ever-changing configurations.
• 🌱 Teaming is not just for life-or-death situations; it's also crucial for innovation in areas like smart city development.
• 🚧 The challenge of teaming across different professional cultures was highlighted by the difficulties faced in building a smart city from scratch.
• 🤝 Overcoming 'professional culture clash' is vital for successful teaming, requiring understanding and bridging of different values, time frames, and languages.
• 💡 Leadership, particularly 'situational humility', is key to fostering an environment where teaming can thrive.
• 🌟 The combination of humility, curiosity, and psychological safety allows teams to take risks, learn from each other, and innovate effectively.

Q & A

What significant event occurred on August 5, 2010, in Chile?

On August 5, 2010, a massive collapse at the San José Copper Mine in Northern Chile trapped 33 men half a mile below the surface.

How did the trapped miners find their way to a refuge after the collapse?

The trapped miners found their way to a small refuge designed for such emergencies, where they endured intense heat, filth, and limited food supplies.

What was the initial challenge faced by experts trying to rescue the trapped miners?

Experts faced the challenge that no drilling technology in the industry could penetrate the hard and deep rock fast enough to save the miners' lives.

What is the term 'teaming' as described in the script?

Teaming is defined as teamwork on the fly, coordinating and collaborating with people across various boundaries to get work done.

How does teaming differ from traditional team sports?

Teaming differs from traditional team sports in that it involves coordinating with different people without the benefit of practice and familiarity, unlike sports teams that practice together with the same members.

Why is teaming particularly important in hospitals according to the script?

Teaming is crucial in hospitals because patients are seen by numerous different caregivers with varying expertise and shifts, necessitating effective coordination for quality patient care.

What was the outcome of the teaming effort during the San José mine rescue?

Despite the challenges, all 33 trapped miners were successfully brought to the surface alive after 70 days of extensive teaming efforts.

How does the script describe the process of creating an animated film like 'Frozen'?

The process of creating an animated film like 'Frozen' is described as a form of teaming where diverse professionals collaborate in changing configurations without the stability of a permanent team.

What are the two megatrends mentioned in the script that highlight the importance of smart cities?

The two megatrends mentioned are urbanization and climate change, both of which point to cities as crucial targets for innovation.

What challenges were faced during the development of a smart city in the script?

The development of a smart city faced challenges such as professional culture clash, where different professionals like software engineers and real estate developers had different values, time frames, and languages.

What key leadership quality was identified as crucial for successful teaming in the script?

The key leadership quality identified for successful teaming is 'situational humility,' where leaders at all levels acknowledge they don't have all the answers and foster an environment of curiosity and psychological safety.