The surprisingly simple reason teams fail | Tessa West

Miscommunication in teams is explored through the lens of a NASA mission failure and social science experiments. The Mars Climate Orbiter's demise is attributed to a failure to communicate about units of measurement, highlighting how easily teams can overlook seemingly obvious information. Research involving a hiring decision task reveals that teams often prioritize shared information over unique, critical details, leading to poor choices, even when all necessary data is available. These communication failures are often subtle, as interactions feel positive, masking underlying issues. The rise of "hidden languages"—acronyms, jargon, and turns of phrase—further complicates team dynamics, creating exclusion and inefficiency. To improve team communication, the speaker suggests stating the obvious, restating critical information, and fostering an environment where asking for clarification is encouraged.