Five Factors to Team Success

Google has done some deep research into which of its teams thrive, and why, and it came up with five key factors:

1. psychological safety
2. clarity
3. structure
4. dependability
5. having a personally meaningful role

I am sure there is masses of research and thinking behind each of these five areas – just looking at the words themselves are instructive.

It is a useful benchmark to think about the teams you work with that are thriving and the extent to which these five areas manifest themselves.

Clarity seems to be a word of the moment – we have leadership guru Andy Stanley telling us when we value integrity, we follow clarity. Entrepreneur Seth Godin asking us whether we buy expertise or clarity. And the Google research baldly stating clarity is critical to teams.

This makes so much common sense – how many times have you seen that people at the bottom of the organisation achieve great things when you and the people at the top to do the right or obvious thing. They see with great clarity what ought to be done.

That is today’s message for all the CXOs, leaders and directors out there – give your teams clarity and do the right thing

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