Title: After years of intensive analysis, Google discovers the key to good teamwork is being nice
Context: Everything you need to know about being a good teammate you learned in kindergarten.
Synopsis: So what’s the secret to highly productive teams? Be nice. That’s it. Too simple you say? There’s got to be more you shout! Kindness. Understanding. Respect. These can’t possibly be the building blocks of great teamwork. Where’s the conflict? The opinionated shouting? The rolled eyes and shaken heads? The hardest steel is forged in the hottest flames, surely. Children worry about other people’s feelings. We’ve got stuff to do and can’t concern ourselves with things as small and petty as being “nice” all the time. Sure, if we were all nicer to each other our professional lives would probably be more enjoyable, we’d look forward to engaging with our coworkers more, there would be less dread about work and more eagerness, more pleasantries and less friction. But truly who needs these things? Not us, for we are professionals with ice water blood and skin thickness measured in fathoms. Even though, one has to admit, all this talk of formal civil gentility would be…well…nice.
Best Bit: “Google’s data-driven approach ended up highlighting what leaders in the business world have known for a while; the best teams respect one another’s emotions and are mindful that all members should contribute to the conversation equally.”
via qz.com
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