2 posts tagged with "performance"

Working together is very important. Even a genius like Turing needs others’ help to crack the Enigma code. But what is the key factor in team success? Many people believe it is the skills and abilities of team members. Well, the truth may surprise you.

At the beginning of the book The Culture Code, the author introduces a funny competition held among groups of kindergartners, business school students, and lawyers in which the participants need to create the tallest possible structure with uncooked spaghetti, tape, strings, and a marshmallow. Unexpectedly, the game ends with the triumph of kindergartners. How can it happen? When looking back, we discover that business school students usually analyze the problem first, discuss the right strategy, and quietly form a hierarchy. At the same time, kindergartners just start experimenting together and keep trying.

From the different approaches, we can see a good group culture, which can boost the overall performance values, more internal interaction and communication than the skills of group members.

There are three skills to create this kind of group culture.

1. Create a safe working environment​

People can perform at their best in a familiar environment, and that’s why creating a safe working environment is so crucial. The sense of safety usually comes from internal familiarities and connections. If you want to make others feel relaxed and safe, it’s essential to let them know you are paying attention to what they have to say. Sometimes, proper feedback is needed too, which can both increase interactivity and let people feel they are needed.

2. Show your vulnerabilities to build trust​

Although it might sound strange, showing your vulnerabilities actually helps to improve the group performance. We always look at the ways people around us behave and pick up some patterns. Admitting your shortcomings to others indicates they can do the same too. And this will enhance the mutual trust within the group.

Meanwhile, sharing vulnerabilities also conveys the expectation of cooperation. When group members know you rely on their help, they can feel comfortable to rely on you in return. Then everyone is going to know he or she does not have to handle everything on their own.

3. Establish a common purpose and emphasize​

The pursuit of a common goal is critical to group performance. The common goal refers to beliefs and values behind people’s actions. Gabriele Oettingen, a psychology professor at New York University, has proved in several studies that, communications over the common purpose can help to unite members and achieve goals.

Repetition is necessary for emphasizing the common purpose within the group. You can put it over again and again in regular meetings or make it into short tag lines. Repeat ten times or a hundred times if necessary.

Teamwork is crucial. Even geniuses like Turing need help from others to crack the Enigma. So, what are the key factors that enable a team to succeed? People naturally believe it is the abilities and levels of individual members, but the reality might surprise you.

At the beginning of The Culture Code, the author describes an interesting competition among kindergarten children, business school students, and lawyers: participants had to build the tallest structure possible using raw spaghetti, tape, string, and marshmallows. The competition ended with the kindergarten children winning. Why did the seemingly least capable group manage to defeat the others? Upon reviewing the competition, we found that business school students typically analyzed the problem first, discussed the right strategy, and then quietly established a hierarchy; whereas the kindergarten children simply started building and experimenting with different approaches.

A strong team culture emphasizes communication among team members rather than individual skills. Such a culture maximizes overall performance. To foster a positive team culture that enhances collective performance, there are three key skills.

1. Create a Safe Work Environment​

People are more likely to unleash their full potential in a familiar environment, so creating a safe space is crucial. The sense of safety within a team comes from familiarity and connection among its members. If you want to cultivate a safe work environment, it is essential to learn to listen and let others know they are heard. When people know that what they say is being listened to and valued, they feel secure. You can provide appropriate feedback while listening, which enhances interaction and makes people feel needed.

2. Be Vulnerable to Build Trust​

Although it may seem counterintuitive, showing vulnerability can indeed enhance team performance. We often observe the behaviors of those around us and learn by imitation. Admitting your weaknesses and mistakes to team members shows that they can do the same. This helps to strengthen internal trust among the team.

At the same time, displaying your shortcomings expresses an expectation for collaboration. When you show that you rely on others for help, they can also comfortably acknowledge their need for assistance. Over time, everyone understands that they shouldn’t bear everything alone, naturally fostering a sense of unity within the team.

3. Establish Common Goals and Reinforce Them​

A steadfast pursuit of common goals is key to good team performance. A team's common goal refers to the beliefs and values that motivate the actions of its members. This common goal clarifies the team's self-identity and communicates it to the outside world. Psychologist Gabriele Oettingen has demonstrated through several studies that communicating common goals helps unite members and makes achieving those goals easier.

To deepen members' impressions, repetition is essential. To express things more clearly, repeating them ten or even a hundred times is worthwhile. You can repeatedly convey the company's mission in meetings or turn the goals into catchy slogans.