How do we build remarkable teams, the kind that are more than the sum of their parts? Daniel Coyle answers that question in his latest book, The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups.

After talking to some of the greatest teams, such as the Navy Seals, IDEO, the San Antonio Spurs, and Pixar, Dan found a replicable pattern of three behaviors shared by these dynamic cultures. They each actively work to (1) Build Safety, (2) Share Vulnerability and (3) Establish Purpose. Dan shares how our teams can do this, too.

Dan is also the author of The Talent Code, The Little Book of Talent, The Secret Race, and Hardball: A Season in the Projects. In this interview we discuss:

Why certain groups add up to way more than the sum of their parts
What kindergartners can teach us about group performance
How status management undermines group performance
How culture is something we do, not something we are
Why culture is about moving together toward a common goal
The three key skills of group performance - vulnerability, safety, and purpose
How bad apples chip away at psychological safety and derail groups
Why we need to be intolerant of brilliant jerks
The outsized impact of warmth as a counter to negativity
Key indicators of high-performing groups, like rapid speech, light physical touch, laughter, and high energy, which indicated safety and connection
The incredible value of collective intelligence in groups as they share information, problem solve, and connect the dots
Why belonging cues are so powerful for group performance
How great coaches, like Gregg Popovich, exude curiosity and care for their teams
The role emotional control can play in supporting team members
How Navy Seals use the vulnerability loop to amplify team safety and boost performance
How an after-action review - a discussion of what went right, what went wrong, and what will happen next time -- helps teams improve performance
The value of warm candor - telling a hard truth but emphasizing connection - over brutal honesty
Why cheesy catch phrases can be stronger indicators of group performance than we might think
Why we should focus on the first five seconds when we interact with someone for the first time, especially when it comes to our energy level, eye contact, facial expressions, and engagement
How asking our team members about one thing we should keep on doing and one thing we should stop doing can help us get better at what we do

Episode Links

Navy Seals

IDEO

San Antonio Spurs

Gregg Popovich

Pixar

Peter Skillman

Alexander Pentland

CM 103: Daniel Coyle on How to Build Amazing Teams

Curious Minds at Work

CM 103: Daniel Coyle on How to Build Amazing Teams