- Over the years, Google has embarked on countless quests, collected endless amounts of data, and spent millions trying to better understand its people
- One of the company’s most interesting initiatives, Project Aristotle, helped the organization codify the secrets to team effectiveness
- Specifically, Google wanted to know why some teams excelled while others fell behind
- Google discovered what are known as “group norms” – the traditions, behavioral standards, and unwritten rules that govern how teams function when they gather
- They are
- 1/ Dependability – Team members get things done on time and meet expectations
- 2/ Structure and clarity – High-performing teams have clear goals, and have well-defined roles within the group
- 3/ Meaning – The work has personal significance to each member
- 4/ Impact – The group believes their work is purposeful and positively impacts the greater good
- 5/ Psychological Safety – A situation in which everyone is safe to take risks, voice their opinions, and ask judgment-free questions.
Through Google’s Re:Work website, a resource that shares Google’s research, ideas, and practices on people operations, Rozovsky outlined the five key characteristics of enhanced teams.