Great Teams? Google's Survey Says...

Great teams aren't rocket science - but Google decided to study what makes them tick. What did they find? Great teams have five things in common.: 

• Dependability: Can we count on each other to do high quality work on time?
• Structure & clarity: Are goals, roles, and execution plans on our team clear?
• Meaning of work: Are we working on something that is personally important for each of us?
• Impact of work: Do we fundamentally believe that the work we’re doing matters?

• Psychological safety: Can we take risks on this team without feeling insecure or embarrassed?

But what does it MEAN?

Our teams may not be asking existential questions every day, but we know that meaning matters, and we know it's tricky. What does it mean to get a project out on time? What does it mean to grow a knowledge set, deliver a message, or close a deal? How does one define the "what's in it for me" while also feeling "meaning" at a deep level, where the primal creative force drives us to bring our talents and creativity to our work. Meaning may be the most tricky of all the five characteristics of great teams.

For work to feel meaningful, it must support (or at least not insult) my values. I need to know that what I'm doing matters to the team, the organization, and the world, even if I'm not in the direct-line value stream. I need to know that I can bring my best and my unique perspective, and that the outcomes of my work will result in something positive that I care about.

Most people aren't very clear about what matters to them. 

If we don't know what really matters to us, if we haven't indulged our own meaning in life, it's hard to find true meaning in our work. Teams will get by with a sense that their work is important because it helps to drive the machinery of customer value. But great teams dig deeper, individually and together, to understand what's important and how that's being served in their work. 

Book a consultation now to plan for your session!

Mandala Meaning 

In a two hour session , your team of 1-10  people explore, individually and together, what brings meaning to their lives and work, and how that meaning translates into their work.

Guided in a simple process by a professional artist and a business facilitator, each person creates a piece of art that reflects the conversation, bridging left and right brains. These pieces can also be brought together as a team to form a bigger pattern. Graphics and wearables are available to support recruiting, annual reports, website, social media and more.

​Your team emerges with more open pathways to respect and trust, a better sense of themselves and each other, and more awareness of the meaning in their daily work and lives.