Have you ever wondered what makes a team successful? Is it the individual skills of each team member, their personalities, or something else entirely?
Well, Google was curious too and embarked on a two-year project to find out. Code-named Project Aristotle, this research aimed to discover the secrets of effective teams at Google.
The project analyzed over 250 different attributes of 180 real and diverse teams at Google, using both quantitative and qualitative data. The goal was to answer the question: “What makes a team effective at Google?”
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the fascinating findings of Project Aristotle and explore what they mean for team success in any organization.
What Is Project Aristotle
Project Aristotle is a research project conducted by Google to discover what makes a team effective. The project was named after the famous quote by Greek philosopher Aristotle, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.
Google’s approach to this research was data-driven, relying on hard data and facts rather than feel-good theories of management. They analyzed over 250 different attributes of 180 real and diverse teams at Google, using both quantitative and qualitative data. They sought to find the “algorithm” that would predict what makes teams successful.
The Origins Of Project Aristotle
The origins of Project Aristotle can be traced back to Google’s previous research project, Project Oxygen. Project Oxygen aimed to identify the qualities of a great manager, and it was a huge success. Encouraged by this, Google’s People Analytics team decided to apply a similar method to discover the secrets of effective teams.
The team behind Project Aristotle consisted of some of Google’s best statisticians, organizational psychologists, sociologists, and engineers. They wanted to answer the question: “What makes a team effective at Google?” The project was launched in 2012 and lasted for two years.
Google analyzed its own teams to identify the traits that successful teams shared. They identified five key traits: dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, impact, and psychological safety. These traits were found to be fundamental to the success of any team.
The goal of Project Aristotle was not only to discover what makes a team effective but also to build the perfect team. Google believed that combining the best people would lead to the creation of the best teams. However, they soon realized that this was not necessarily true.
The project was data-driven and relied on hard data and facts rather than feel-good theories of management. Google analyzed hundreds of its teams using both quantitative and qualitative data. They sought to find the “algorithm” that would predict what makes teams successful.
The Research Process And Data Analysis
The research process for Project Aristotle involved collecting data from executives across the globe, who identified 180 teams to study. These teams included a mix of high- and low-performing teams, with 115 project teams in engineering and 65 pods in sales. The study tested how team composition and team dynamics impact team effectiveness.
To gather data, the research team conducted hundreds of double-blind interviews with leaders to get a sense of what they thought drove team effectiveness. They also looked at existing survey data, including over 250 items from the annual employee engagement survey and gDNA, Google’s longitudinal study on work and life.
The researchers used a variety of metrics to measure team effectiveness, including group dynamics, skill sets, personality traits, emotional intelligence, and demographic variables like tenure, level, and location. Participants were asked to agree or disagree with statements such as “I feel safe expressing divergent opinions to the team” and “I am good at navigating roadblocks and barriers.”
The data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods to identify patterns and correlations between different variables. The researchers sought to determine which factors were most strongly associated with effective teams.
The Key Findings Of Project Aristotle
After two years of research, Google’s Project Aristotle identified five key factors that are essential to any high-performing team. The most important factor is psychological safety, which refers to a shared belief that the team is a safe place for interpersonal risk-taking. This sense of safety encourages team members to speak up, share their ideas, and take risks without fear of retribution or ridicule.
The second factor is dependability, which means that team members can rely on one another to deliver high-quality work on time. This requires clear communication and a shared understanding of goals and expectations.
The third factor is structure and clarity, which means that team members have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Leaders must define what success means to them and create a shared vision for the team. This ensures that every employee knows what’s expected of them in achieving that vision.
The fourth factor is meaning, which means that team members feel that their work has purpose and makes a difference. This requires leaders to articulate a clear mission and values for the team.
The fifth and final factor is impact, which means that team members feel that their work is making an impact on the organization or society as a whole. Leaders have a tremendous impact on their teams, and truly great leaders maximize their own strengths first so they can enroll others in a shared vision for success and inspire them to be at their best.
The Importance Of Psychological Safety In Teams
One of the key findings of Project Aristotle was the importance of psychological safety in teams. Psychological safety refers to an individual’s perception of the consequences of taking an interpersonal risk or a belief that a team is safe for risk-taking in the face of being seen as ignorant, incompetent, negative, or disruptive. In a team with high psychological safety, teammates feel safe to take risks around their team members. They feel confident that no one on the team will embarrass or punish anyone else for admitting a mistake, asking a question, or offering a new idea.
Google’s research found that psychological safety was critical to making a team work. When team members feel safe taking risks and being vulnerable in front of each other without the fear of being embarrassed, ridiculed, or facing any other consequences, they are more likely to work collaboratively and effectively. This creates an environment where people can be themselves and express concerns without being shut down. Sensitivity to the feelings of others is encouraged, and everyone in the workspace feels like they can speak freely.
The importance of psychological safety cannot be overstated. It is the foundation upon which successful teams are built. Without it, teams are less likely to take risks, less likely to innovate, and less likely to achieve their goals. When team members feel safe to share their ideas and concerns, they are more likely to come up with creative solutions and work together to achieve their objectives.
The Role Of Communication And Collaboration In Team Success
One of the key findings of Project Aristotle was that effective communication and collaboration are essential for team success. The research showed that teams with strong communication and collaboration skills were more likely to achieve their goals and complete projects successfully.
However, the study also revealed that many organizations struggle with communication and collaboration. For example, many managers feel uncomfortable communicating with their employees, and employees often believe that people in their organization don’t collaborate enough.
To address these issues, Google’s researchers recommend that organizations focus on creating a culture of psychological safety, dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, and impact. This means creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their opinions and ideas, where everyone is accountable for their actions, where roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, where work has a sense of purpose, and where the team’s work has a positive impact on the organization.
In addition to creating this type of culture, organizations should also provide training and support to help team members develop their communication and collaboration skills. This could include training on active listening, conflict resolution, effective feedback, and other key skills.
Applying The Lessons Of Project Aristotle To Your Team Or Organization
The lessons learned from Project Aristotle can be applied to any team or organization looking to improve their productivity and effectiveness. One of the key findings of the project was that the composition of a team had little impact on its success. Rather, it was the establishment of healthy group norms that led to top-performing teams.
To apply these lessons to your team or organization, start by identifying the key behaviors and norms that are expected from team members and leaders. This can include things like clear communication, equal distribution of conversational turn-taking, and high levels of social awareness.
It’s also important to regularly seek feedback from team members to identify gaps between their expectations and experiences. By addressing these gaps and taking action to close them, teams can improve their engagement, energy, and effectiveness.
Finally, maintaining discipline in tracking progress towards these goals is crucial. This ensures that day-to-day business doesn’t prevent teams from taking necessary actions to improve their performance.
In summary, applying the lessons of Project Aristotle involves focusing on establishing healthy group norms, seeking feedback and addressing gaps in expectations and experiences, and maintaining discipline in tracking progress towards improvement. By implementing these strategies, any team or organization can work towards becoming more effective and productive.
