Leadership and Teams
Michael Winslow and I have had several conversations about the impact that team sports has had on our perspective around leadership. The thing is sometimes people aren’t always into “sportsing” so sometimes our references don’t always land. Everyone of course has their own jam and I have a couple of other spaces where the importance of teamwork is relevant. .
First and most importantly, the #1 predictor of team effectiveness is psychological safety based on the research done by Google on Project Aristotle. Some other great research in this space can be found in Amy Edmundson’s 2018 book titled “The Fearless Leader.” When we think about how a team works some key components of psychological safety play out in significant roles. Active listening, trust, respect, communication, collaborative problem solving, inclusivity, authenticity, risk taking and mistakes generate learning, and tolerance.
Gaming
I remember talking to a friend about some leadership training and rightly so they scoffed at some of the mandatory training they had experienced. The results never really got people to work together more effectively. (Bad leadership training and the following support and measurements is a whole other article) They did say that there is real teamwork in the video game space. People you might not even know, in different locations around the world come together in self-forming teams to have fun and solve problems. Research has shown the benefits of playing video games and they include problem solving together, specifically building a collective intelligence, building good relationships, improved communication skills all while achieving a common goal together. This also sounds like the outcomes we want with successful team at work.
Improv
This one is near and dear to my heart. Disclaimer, I am in an improv class at Westside Improv with the awesome @jeff Ash in Wheaton, Illinois. For more information about improv I highly recommend Kelly Leondard’s work including his podcast and book “Yes, and.” Learning improv is a methodical and intentional process of exercises and experiences that start off with acclimating people to a new mindset that is growth orientated, celebrates mistakes as learning opportunities, adaptability and resilience. There is actual science involved in how our brains work, specifically to help us to regulate our active prefrontal cortex that likes to edit everything we do. This unlocks creativity and allows us to really be our authentic selves. Active listening and the “I’ve got your back” motto creates an environment that results in a cohesive team set up for success and a psychologically safe space. There is a reason over 50 years of improv ensambles have fueled some of the most successful creative minds in entertainment generation after generation.
Sports
I know there are a lot of curmudgeonly folks who lament the participation trophies but let's unpack what is going on when a kid plays a sport. First and foremost, kids benefit from playing as a team together. They learn how to trust, respect, communicate and work together effectively to play a game. And to be frank, there is a hell of a lot more failure in sports than winning. Someone who gets a hit in baseball 30% of the time is considered a legend. Playing together as a cohesive team is a key ingredient to success. These are lifelong skills. The winning comes eventually and a great example is how the Chicago Bulls finally started winning championships when the star player became a team player, trusting and supporting each other.
One final note, an interesting thing I heard Kelly Leonard describe on a podcast the other day was around the differences of group flow vs group think. The flow is that collaboration and collective group intelligence applied to problem solving. Whether it is in the office, on the field, gaming console or a stage. Group think is dangerous and where everyone is a clone in behavior and ideas.
I hope this helps inspire you to think a little bit differently and help you in your leadership journey.
