1. Why do some teams show better performance than others?
High Performing Teams
High performing teams don’t just happen
One company wanted to know WHY some teams got there and others didn’t
Most of this data comes from a little company you might have heard of before….
Why do some teams show better performance than others?

2. 2012 People Analytics Division
They needed a definition of a High Performing team

3. So what is a high performing team?
Qualitative
Executive evaluation of the team
Team leader evaluation of the team
Team member evaluation of the team
Quantitative
Sales performance against quarterly quota
Formula using a mixture of each.
How do teams get there? Leadership?
Its Subjective, this is just Googles approach
No correlation with leaders
The study also revealed Survey correspondents mentioned the importance of Teams ;
data gathering and analysis

4. Project Aristotle : Team Centric
2 year duration
200+ interviews
180+ Teams
Survey
The Team Compositions
1st Pass
No Patterns in the data
Results
Experience, gender, colocation, friendships, longevity, didn’t matter….

5. 2nd Pass at Data using Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development
They took a 2nd pass at the data, looking at Team Norms!

6. Modified Tuckman
HPT had similar norms , LPT bounced between bad norms and storming
But what which norms were best?

7. Which norms were most crucial?
Psychological safety: Can we take risks on this team without feeling insecure or embarrassed?
Teams succeed when everyone feels like they can speak up and speak in roughly equal amounts
When members show they are sensitive to how one another feels – High EQ
Dependability: Can we count on each other to do high quality work on time?
Structure & clarity: Are goals, roles, and execution plans on our team clear?
Meaning of work: Are we working on something that is personally important for each of us?
Impact of work: Do we fundamentally believe that the work we’re doing matters?
 How could that be? Taking a risk around your team members seems simple. But remember the last time you were working on a project.
Did you feel like you could ask what the goal was without the risk of sounding like you’re the only one out of the loop?
Or did you opt for continuing without clarifying anything, in order to avoid being perceived as someone who is unaware?
Interpersonal risk is a powerful barrier to collaboration and good decision making in organizations.
Teams that were most successful with PS exhibiti
Model the behaviors you want to instill in your team

8. Google’s Checklist for managers, be the catalyst
Don’t establish an interrupting norm
Summarize what you hear
Show Vulnerability
Encourage expression of frustration
Encourage teammates to respond in nonjudgmental ways
Call Out and then Resolve Intergroup Conflicts
Don’t interrupt
Summarize
Be vulnerable
Everyone speaks EQ

9. Actions for your teams….
Next Steps
Evaluate Team’s current level of Psychological Safety (see references)
Determine Teams Needs
Fostering Safety
TEAM WORKING AGREEMENTS as early as possible.
Incorporate elements from the Google Checklist.
Take a Facilitator Class – Personality Types
Check out my references section for more info

11. Reference (1 of 4) Google’s Checklist for managers
Leaders should not interrupt teammates during conversations because that will establish an interrupting norm
They should demonstrate they are listening by summarizing what people say after they said it
They should admit what they don’t know
They shouldn’t end a meeting until all team members have spoken at least once
They should encourage people who are upset to express their frustrations, and encourage teammates to respond in nonjudgmental ways
They should call out intergroup conflicts and resolve them through open discussion
Don’t interrupt
Summarize
Be vulnerable
Everyone speaks EQ

12. References (2 of 4)
Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business - Charles Duhigg
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni
Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making – Sam Kaner
Edmondson Ted Talk
Model the Behavior you want team to adopt
Frame the work as a learning problem, not an execution problem.
Acknowledge your own fallibility.
Model curiosity and ask lots of questions.
effectiveness/steps/introduction/

13. References (3 of 4) Edmondson’s evaluation of psychological safety
If you make a mistake on this team, it is often held against you.
Members of this team are able to bring up problems and tough issues.
People on this team sometimes reject others for being different.
It is safe to take a risk on this team.
It is difficult to ask other members of this team for help.
No one on this team would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts.
Working with members of this team, my unique skills and talents are valued and utilized.
Edmondson asks team members how strongly they agreed or disagreed with these statements:

14. References (4 of 4) Project Oxygen study found that a good leader:
(1) is a good coach
(2) empowers and does not micromanage
(3) expresses interest and concern in subordinates’ success and well-being
(4) is results oriented
(5) listens and shares information
(6) helps with career development
(7) has a clear vision and strategy
(8) has key technical skills
Sound familiar?