Team Intelligence

1. Leadership is Defined by Followers, Not Titles or Traits

If what defines a leader is having followers, and we follow because we feel there is a new future, do I have the skills I need to have people follow me and feel they have a new future?

Redefining leadership. Traditional notions of leadership, often perpetuated by media and expensive MBA programs, are misleading. The idea of an "alpha" leader, derived from debunked wolf research, or the efficacy of personality tests like Myers-Briggs, are largely myths. These approaches fail to capture the complex reality of human behavior and team dynamics.

Emotional connection. People follow leaders not because of a checklist of "essential" traits, but because those leaders make them feel that a new or better future is possible. This emotional connection is more powerful than logical arguments or impressive credentials. For example, Mother Teresa, despite lacking traditional leadership qualities, inspired millions by offering a vision of dignity for the forgotten.

Beyond the facade. The true measure of a leader isn't their public persona or the results they claim to produce, but their ability to genuinely inspire hope and a sense of possibility in others. This often means looking past superficial charm or self-promotion to understand the underlying impact a leader has on their followers' sense of future.

2. Super Skills, Not Perfection, Drive Effective Leadership

If you are good at everything, you aren’t great at anything.

Leverage unique strengths. Effective leaders don't possess a universal set of perfect traits; instead, they have one or two "super skills" that are disproportionately strong. These unique strengths are what truly inspire others to follow. Paul Erdős, a socially awkward mathematician, led a revolution in his field because his super skills—an intense love for math and an ability to bring out the best in collaborators—outweighed his many social deficiencies.

Individualized approach. Trying to mimic a successful leader's style or striving for a perfectly well-rounded skill set is often a waste of time. Instead, individuals should identify and cultivate their own distinct advantages. This personalized approach allows leaders to shine authentically and effectively, rather than struggling to fit a generic mold.

Compensate for weaknesses. Recognizing one's limitations is as important as knowing one's strengths. Leaders can compensate for weaker areas by:

• Outsourcing tasks
• Teaming up with individuals who possess complementary skills
• Creating systems that mitigate potential problems

This strategic approach ensures that weaknesses don't derail overall effectiveness.

3. The Biggest Gains Come from Eliminating Negative Behaviors

The negative impact of our negative behavior tends to be much worse than the good done by our positive behavior.

Prioritize harm reduction. While improving skills is valuable, the fastest way to enhance leadership and team effectiveness is to address and mitigate negative behaviors that breach the "social contract." Just as Draymond Green's on-court aggression overshadowed his talent, a leader's toxic habits can destroy psychological safety and team morale.

Psychological safety is paramount. Teams thrive when members feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and challenge assumptions without fear of punishment or humiliation. Breaches of this safety, whether through verbal abuse or subtle undermining, lead to disengagement and catastrophic failures, as seen in the Challenger disaster or the fictional Death Star's design flaws.

Systemic solutions. Relying solely on willpower to change ingrained negative habits is often ineffective. Instead, leaders should implement automatic systems that prevent undesirable behaviors from occurring. For example:

• An "anti-jerk policy" that delays problem-solving until emotions cool
• F-16's Auto G-Cas system that prevents ground collisions
  These systems automate self-control and protect team dynamics.

4. Team Intelligence Trumps Individual Talent

The smallest unit of productivity is not a leader or an individual but a team.

Beyond individual stars. While individual talent is the price of entry, it's insufficient for consistent success. The "too-much-talent problem" demonstrates that in highly interdependent teams (like basketball or football), an overabundance of stars can actually reduce overall effectiveness. This is because individual focus on personal glory can undermine collaboration.

The "super chicken" paradox. William Muir's research on chickens showed that breeding for individual productivity (super chickens) led to aggression and cannibalism, ultimately reducing overall egg output. In contrast, breeding for team productivity and prosocial behavior created "super teams" that were healthier and more productive. This mirrors how corporate cultures often incentivize individual competition at the expense of collective success.

Human connection as a superpower. Humans, unlike Neanderthals, thrive in large communities. Our innate ability to form strong connections and work together is our species' greatest advantage. Therefore, maximizing team intelligence—the collective ability to solve problems and achieve goals—is crucial for any significant endeavor.

5. Cultivate Trust Through Benevolence, Vulnerability, and Connection

Vulnerability precedes trust.

The foundation of trust. Trust is not bought or commanded; it is built through specific interactions. Its three core components, in order of importance, are:

• Benevolence: Believing others have your best interests at heart.
• Honesty: Truthfulness and integrity.
• Competence: Capability to perform expected tasks.
  Leading with competence alone, as many corporate communications do, often fails to build genuine trust.

Intentional relationship building. Effective leaders foster trust by creating opportunities for team members to connect and invest in each other. Strategies include:

• The Ikea Effect: People care more about what they invest effort into.
• Stacking: Small favors lead to larger ones.
• Vulnerability Loops: Signaling vulnerability (e.g., asking for help) encourages reciprocal trust.
• Pratfall Effect: Showing minor imperfections can increase likability.
• Common Ground: Finding shared interests and experiences.

Beyond happy hours. Genuine connection requires more than superficial social events. It demands intentional design of interactions that allow for shared effort, mutual support, and authentic self-disclosure, fostering a sense of belonging and psychological safety.

6. Align Reasoning, Attention, and Resources for Collective Genius

If they were good at one, they were good at all of them.

Three pillars of team intelligence. Anita Williams Woolley's research identified three key pillars that define a team's collective intelligence, regardless of the specific task:

• Reasoning: The ability to effectively plan and problem-solve with available resources.
• Attention: How the team focuses, on what, and when.
• Resources: How the team accesses and leverages the diverse knowledge and experience of its members.
  Teams that excel in one area tend to excel in all, indicating a general factor of team intelligence.

Reasoning through alignment. For effective reasoning, teams need clear alignment on objectives, from broad organizational goals to individual contributions. This "commander's intent" ensures everyone is pulling in the same direction, enabling adaptability when plans inevitably change. Without alignment, efforts are fragmented, leading to wasted time and suboptimal outcomes.

Attention through synchronization. Intelligent teams manage their attention through "bursty communication"—intense periods of discussion followed by uninterrupted work. This is supported by:

• Conversational turn-taking: Ensuring all voices are heard.
• High emotional intelligence: Members can read the room and facilitate effective communication.
• Psychological safety: Encouraging constructive conflict to strengthen ideas.
  This synchronized focus prevents corporate "ADD" and maximizes productivity.

Resources through diversity. Teams with diverse resources—encompassing varied skills, knowledge, mental models, and life experiences—outperform homogeneous groups. Making these resources explicit, through "player cards" or organized information systems, allows teams to effectively leverage each member's unique contributions. This diversity, including gender and cultural backgrounds, enriches problem-solving capabilities.

7. Beware the "Too-Much-Talent" Problem and Embrace "Glue Players"

Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.

The limits of star power. In teams requiring high "task interdependence," an overemphasis on individual star talent can be detrimental. When more than 50-60% of a team consists of top individual performers, overall success can decline because players may prioritize personal statistics over collaborative play. This highlights the importance of team dynamics over raw individual skill.

The power of "glue players." Daryl Morey's discovery of Shane Battier, a "glue player," illustrates the value of individuals who elevate the performance of their teammates. These multipliers may not have standout individual stats, but they:

• Possess high emotional intelligence
• Are team-oriented and benevolent
• Are proactive thinkers
  They make the team "click," fostering connections and optimizing collective performance, often without receiving traditional recognition.

Balanced team construction. Building a championship team requires a balance:

• Star talent: Provides the raw capability.
• Glue players: Multiply the effectiveness of that talent.
  A team of only glue players might be supportive but ineffective, while a team of only stars might be brilliant but dysfunctional. The synergy between these roles unlocks true team intelligence.

8. Organizational Culture Shapes Team Intelligence and Long-Term Success

Culture is the collection of attitudes, norms, traditions, behaviors, and beliefs shared in your organization, and the written and unwritten rules that people follow.

Culture as a strategic asset. A strong organizational culture is not about frivolous perks; it's about defining how people interact, make decisions, and prioritize. Milton Friedman's "shareholder value" doctrine, exemplified by Boeing's decline, shows how prioritizing short-term profits over employees, customers, and product quality can destroy long-term value and trust.

Beyond "corporate family." Companies are more akin to sports teams than families; members may come and go, but the team's collective intelligence and ability to win must endure. A healthy culture ensures that while individuals are part of the team, they operate at their best, contributing to a fantastic product and positive impact.

Four pillars of strong culture:

• Membership: Clear boundaries, emotional safety, belonging, personal investment, and common symbols (e.g., company names, catchphrases).
• Influence: Employees feel heard and empowered to suggest improvements and take action.
• Integration and fulfillment of needs: Alignment of individual, team, and organizational goals.
• Shared history and values: Company mythology and stories that exemplify desired behaviors and decision-making (e.g., Nordstrom's tire story, COACH Ways of Working).

9. Intentionality and Adaptability are Crucial for Modern Teams

As distance increases, so does our need to be intentional about the way we communicate and connect.

Navigating change. The modern workplace, characterized by remote work and the rise of AI, demands intentional strategies to maintain team intelligence. Traditional in-office cultural cues and spontaneous connections are diminished, requiring deliberate efforts to foster trust and belonging across distributed teams.

Proactive connection strategies. Managers, often unprepared for the role of "cultural ambassadors," need turnkey solutions to facilitate team bonding and skill development. Simple, structured activities can:

• Bridge distance: Create opportunities for shared experiences and vulnerability loops.
• Upskill: Teach concepts like communication and decision-making.
• Reinforce culture: Align with company values and foster a sense of shared purpose.
  Examples like MIT's synchronized coffee breaks or "Turnkey Teams" activities demonstrate the power of intentional design.

The Draper Kauffman legacy. The story of Draper L. Kauffman, who founded the Navy SEALs' precursor, embodies these lessons. From his experiences as an ambulance driver, POW, and bomb defuser, he learned that:

• Connection (Corps Franc)
• Super skills (the nun's tenacity)
• Selflessness (bomb defusal)
• Alignment (reasoning)
• Synchronized communication (Captain Currey)
• Diverse resources (UDT divers)
  These principles, applied with intentionality and adaptability, allowed him to build one of the most effective organizational cultures in history, proving that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary impact by unlocking collective genius.

Last updated: November 12, 2025