What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team:
Studies show that working in groups tends to innovate faster, see mistakes faster and find better solutions to problems. Studies also show that people who work in teams tend to have better results and report higher job satisfaction.
‘‘group norms’’: Norms are the traditions, behavioral standards and unwritten rules that govern how we function when we gather.
The researchers eventually concluded that what distinguished the ‘‘good’’ teams from the dysfunctional groups was how teammates treated one another. The right norms, in other words, could raise a group’s collective intelligence, whereas the wrong norms could hobble a team, even if, individually, all the members were exceptionally bright.
Aristotle Projectresearch on psychological safety pointed to particular norms that are vital to success. There were other behaviors that seemed important as well like making sure teams had clear goals and creating a culture of dependability. But Google’s data indicated that psychological safety, more than anything else, was critical to making a team work.