
Google Project Aristotle: How to build more effective teams
Teams turns strategy into reality. In this article we focus on the inner workings of a team and what it takes to thrive as a business with healthy, happy and highly effective teams.
We recently rolled out a new guideline about internal behaviors - our equivalent to company core values. You can read about the creation of the 6-pack here.
To ensure a strong integration of the values, I organised small group workshops with less than 10 Impraisers in order to present the project background and detail each behavior. The group discussion that followed about successes, failures, and identifying role models was incredibly valuable as people were more comfortable sharing challenging feedback in this setting.
We have a small team who work remote and it was important they received the same attention as those in our Amsterdam office, so I ran a special remote version of the workshop.
After each one, I sent a request for feedback in Impraise that allowed me to gauge how people felt about the workshops and the 6-pack itself. With this feedback I was able to continually improve the workshops, and I received a variety of suggestions about how to launch and live the 6-pack. It was extremely motivating to read the enthusiastic responses of my colleagues to the new behaviors.
Once the workshops were completed it was time to launch, and as the first day of launch was April 1st, I had some help from a colleague in creating “The Fool 6-Pack.” Plastering fake posters around the office was a fun start to launch but also had the effect of highlighting the undesirable behaviors we no longer want to see as part of the Impraise DNA.
After April Fools’, the real launch started. Every team lead had written feedback related to at least one of the 6-pack behaviors on a postcard. These were then the first thing people saw when they arrived, ensuring everyone started the launch by receiving a positive affirmation. The bonus is that they now have a handy postcard with all of the behaviours they can learn and reference.
In addition, here are some further actions we took to launch and integrate the 6-pack:
Thanks to our feedback culture I received some very positive feedback about the launch. The real success however will be reflected over time, with the aim that these behaviors become second nature to all Impraisers.
I am focused on integrating a recognition system in order to identify and reward those who are superstars when it comes to the 6-pack.
We talk about the 6-pack a lot in correspondence - especially from Operations and Leadership - and we’re integrating it in to our performance management process to ensure it’s embedded at our core. Next step is involving our recruiter and building it in to our onboarding process.
One thing is certain, although I am still developing the plan for the future of the 6-pack, I am motivated to not let it die and I gather energy from the enthusiasm of my peers!
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