THE FIVE KEYS TO COLLABORATIVE SUCCESS

Virtually everyone has been involved in some form of collaborative work in one way or another. Whether it is within an academic or a professional setting, or in a more common situation such as coordinating a family event, we are expected to be able to work well with others in order to achieve a common goal. When people are selected to work collaboratively in a project, their related knowledge and technical abilities are often given more weight during the selection process. However, a recent study of Google employees has rebuffed the idea that the people involved solely lead to the success of a team. Instead, their research suggests that the success of a team is determined by the how the team members themselves interact with each other (Peck 2015).

The study collected data by interviewing over 200 Google employees, and organized their findings into a set of attributes that lead to successful teams. Analyses of the data suggest that the five key traits that a team needs to embody in order to succeed include: Psychological Safety, Dependability, Structure & Clarity, Meaning, and Impact.

1. Psychological Safety

This pertains to the ability of members of a team to feel comfortable enough with one another to express themselves and take risks in regards to their contributions. A team in which members don’t feel comfortable enough to be open or “vulnerable” can only go so far because the amount of individual input is limited.

2. Dependability

Dependability accounts for members’ reliance upon one another. This is a critical element of teamwork because each individual’s input and effort is only one piece of the puzzle. A team can only succeed when everyone involved consistently pulls their weight until their goals are achieved.

3. Structure & Clarity

A key similarity between independent work and teamwork is the need for a clear structure in workflow. In order to succeed independently or within a group, it is essential to set methods and goals that will guide decisions and consequential success for a team. With a well-designed work structure, the possibility for negative effects upon teamwork can be reduced.

4. Meaning

One aspect that may not be immediately considered when determining the success of collaborative work is the positive meaning that work may hold for those involved. People are more naturally inclined to dedicate themselves to the work of a team when it shares their same values.

5. Impact

Collaborative work depends on the effort of each individual involved, and this means that those who are part of a team need to feel that their work is important to the success of a team and its goals. Knowing that one’s work is substantial can increase the quality of our work, and it will motivate us when it is necessary.

But why should we be trying to improve the way we work in teams? In a time when diversity in teams is needed in order cater to the needs of a larger portion of the population, having a better understanding of what has a positive influence on our teamwork is essential to increase its success. Being aware of these keys to the success of a team can make us more aware of how we interact with others and therefore help us work better together, regardless of the diversity of a team.

Reference:

Peck, E. (2015). “Google Has Discovered The 5 Key Traits Employees Need To Succeed”. Huffington Post. Retrieved December 6, 2015. Web. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/google-employee-success-traits_564cd621e4b031745cef50fe