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by Amy Hoglund
Having a successful and productive team is extremely valuable to a business. If a team does not work well together, or has a lack of comradery, it will not flourish and can potentially cause the downfall of a business. There is one company that has repeatedly showed they know what they are doing when it comes to treating their employees well.
Google.
Google is known to pamper its employees with amazing perks, but found that there were still areas of improvement.
They recently conducted a study that showed who is on a team matters less than how the team members interact, structure their work, and view their contributions. Google found there were five key dynamics that set successful teams apart from the rest.
The Five Dynamics to a Successful and Productive Team:
1. Psychological Safety
This is hands down the most important of all the dynamics. Is the team able to take risks without feeling insecure or embarrassed? If there is a sense of insecurity, teammates will not feel confident enough to share new ideas or plans. This will hinder growth because of the fear of negative judgment. Make sure to support open discussions and not to discredit someone’s idea.
2. Dependability
Do you have trust in your team to complete high quality work on time? If there’s lack of trust, this can shift the balance, causing animosity within the team. This can lower moral and work productivity.
3. Structure & Clarity
Are goals, roles, and execution plans for the team clear? If there is a sense of confusion, productivity levels will diminish because of the lack of direction. Make sure each team member understands the goal and task at hand.
4. Meaning of Work
Is the team working on something that is personally important to each member? If there is someone on the team who lacks passion, this can foster poor feelings about the job at hand. If a teammate does not personally enjoy their work, negativity can quickly spread within the group.
5. Impact of Work
Does the team fundamentally believe the work they’re doing matters? If an employee does not receive acknowledgement and does not feel important, this can also lower productivity.
Takeaways
Even if you have a blend of extremely intelligent skilled individuals, that does not mean your team will be stellar. If you answered yes to the questions asked above, chances are you’re a part of high-performing team. If not, there’s still a chance to get to that point!