The Golden Secret that leads to your team’s success

It was recently 'discovered' that a team needs ONE simple thing. And your team can possess it too.

In a recent research study, done by the tech giant Google, it was discovered that all a successful team needs is ONE thing.

Google wanted to find the magic formula… the secret concoction of ingredients that made up the perfect team. In other words, they asked: what type of different individuals would make the best team ever?

They thought it was going to be something like: one extrovert + one creative mind + one impulsive person + one dog lover all mixed in a pot to create the optimal functioning team. Turns out, they were wrong. In fact, they’re quoted as saying, “We were dead wrong.”

This research study was no light matter: It took several years of interviews; it took interviews with hundreds of employees; it approached more than 100 teams; and all collected data still needed to be analysed.

And this is what they found: Be Nice.

Related: Team not playing nice? How to deal with the conflict

A successful team has nothing to do with who the team members are or which characteristics they possess. Instead, it has everything to do with whether or not each team member is respectful, open, and dependable.

Yes, after several years, several interviews, and approaching several teams,  Project Aristotle discovered that all team members must just show kindness.

So, how can your team become more effective and reach all goals successfully?

- Appreciate one another’s unique talents

- Be honest and transparent

- Confront inappropriate behaviour head-on

- Look for solutions instead of focusing on who’s to blame

- Treat everyone fairly

- Celebrate successes

Kindness makes people feel comfortable and welcome. It also augments loyalty amongst members of the group whether they're Team Taylor or Team Kanye.

To find out how you can effectively manage your team, visit our Management Advice for more inspiring articles.