How Google builds the perfect team

Summary

Google's Project Aristotle aimed to uncover the secrets of building the perfect team. Contrary to initial hypotheses that focused on team composition, the study found that how team members interact was far more critical. Two key behaviors stood out: equality in conversational turn-taking, where every team member speaks roughly the same amount, and ostentatious listening, which involves actively showing that one is listening to others. These practices foster psychological safety, the single greatest factor associated with a team's success. When teams feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to share their best ideas, collaborate effectively, and innovate. The study underscores the importance of team dynamics over individual attributes in achieving success.

Takeaways

• 🤔 Google's Project Aristotle aimed to understand how to build the perfect team by examining team dynamics and interactions.
• 👥 The initial hypothesis that the best teams were composed of people who liked each other was disproven by data.
• 🧐 Team success was found to be unrelated to the specific individuals on the team, highlighting the importance of interaction over composition.
• 🗣️ 'Equality in conversational turn-taking' is a key characteristic for team success, where each member speaks roughly an equal amount.
• 👂 'Obstentatious listening' is crucial; team members must actively show they are listening to one another.
• 📋 Active listening behaviors include repeating what others say and making eye contact, which fosters better communication.
• 🔐 'Psychological safety' is identified as the single greatest factor correlating with a team's success.
• 💡 When teams feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to share their best ideas and work collaboratively.
• 🚀 Google believes, and many companies agree, that the best ideas and work come from teams working together effectively.
• 🌟 The study emphasizes that it's not just about who is on the team, but how they interact and treat each other that leads to success.
• 🔄 The findings from Project Aristotle can be applied to various organizations to improve team performance and innovation.

Q & A

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

The main objective of Project Aristotle was to understand how to build the perfect team at Google through a large-scale data study.

What was Google's initial hypothesis regarding the composition of the best teams?

Google initially hypothesized that the best teams were composed of people who liked each other, possibly with a mix of extroverts and introverts, and who were friends outside of work.

What did Google discover about the importance of team membership in team success?

Google found that who was on a team did not matter at all; they could not find any correlations between team membership and team success.

How did Google's focus shift in their study after the initial findings?

After the initial findings, Google shifted their focus to how teams interact, rather than who was on the team.

What two key behaviors did Google identify as critical for team success?

The two key behaviors identified were equality in conversational turn-taking and ostentatious listening.

What does 'equality in conversational turn-taking' mean in the context of team interactions?

Equality in conversational turn-taking means that during meetings, every team member speaks roughly the same amount, indicating a balanced participation.

What is 'ostentatious listening' and why is it important?

Ostentatious listening is the act of visibly showing that you are listening to a team member, such as by repeating their points or making eye contact. It's important because it fosters a sense of being heard and valued.

What psychological concept did Google find to be the single greatest correlate with a group's success?

Google found that psychological safety is the single greatest correlate with a group's success.

How does psychological safety impact a team's ability to innovate and work together?

When a team feels psychologically safe with each other, they are more likely to unlock their best ideas, work together effectively, and enhance their innovative capacity.

Why is it crucial for a team to come together to get the best ideas and work done?

It's crucial because collective interaction allows for the combination of diverse perspectives, which can lead to more innovative and effective solutions than individual efforts alone.

What did Google conclude about the role of individual relationships within a team?

Google concluded that whether team members are friends, enemies, or strangers, what matters more is how they interact with each other within the team.

How can a team leader or member demonstrate effective listening to enhance team dynamics?

A team leader or member can demonstrate effective listening by actively repeating what others have said, closing out distractions like computer screens, and maintaining eye contact to show engagement.