--- title: "The dynamics of effective teams · Sunergos" description: "Ten years ago the dominant view was that centralising decisions and functions creates a significant competitive advantage, but practice has proven the exact opposite." url: https://www.sunergos.ee/en/blog/the-dynamics-of-effective-teams/ language: en --- [Home](https://www.sunergos.ee/en/) / [Blog](https://www.sunergos.ee/en/blog/) / Communication and collaboration Article · Communication and collaboration # The dynamics of effective teams Monika Prits Partner · 9 April 2025 · 3 min read Contents 1. 01The dynamics of high-performing teams 2. 02What can leaders do to influence team effectiveness? 3. 03Sources FemaleMale > “It’s not power, but relationships that help achieve results.” > > Kim Scott Ten years ago the dominant view was that centralising decisions and functions creates a significant competitive advantage, but practice has proven the exact opposite. Fast, flexible and effective organisations are open by nature. They have built themselves up as small, autonomous teams, where each team acts as a micro-company and creates value for the end customer. They cooperate only in areas where that cooperation creates mutual value. ## The dynamics of high-performing teams Google’s research team has done thorough research to find out what really affects team effectiveness. Using 35 different statistical models with hundreds of variables, they found that how the team works together matters more than who is on the team. They found that effectiveness is affected by the following factors, in order of importance: 1. **Psychological safety.** In a team with high psychological safety, team members dare to be who they are without fear of appearing incompetent or negative, or of disturbing others. There is confidence that no one will shame or punish anyone for admitting a mistake, asking a question or offering an idea. 2. **Dependability:** in dependable teams, people can count on each other, agreements and promises hold, and quality work is done on time. 3. **Structure and clarity:** each person understands their role and expectations and how to meet them. It is also clear how their work affects the team’s overall result. Goals can be individual and/or at team level and are specific, challenging and achievable. 4. **Meaning:** for team effectiveness, it is important to sense the meaning and value of one’s work or its result. The meaning of work is personal and can vary – it can be, for example, financial security, supporting one’s family, the wish to help the team succeed or personal self-expression. 5. **Impact:** the subjective feeling that my work matters. Understanding how my work creates value and contributes to the organisation’s goals or a bigger whole helps sense its wider impact. ## What can leaders do to influence team effectiveness? **PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY** - Share about yourself, talk about your personal preferences and encourage others to do the same. - Ask for team members’ input, thoughts and ideas. Encourage them to express different opinions. **DEPENDABILITY** - Create clarity in team members’ roles and responsibilities. - Make a concrete plan for each project that ensures transparency about each person’s individual work as well. **STRUCTURE AND CLARITY** - Talk regularly about the team’s goals and make sure all team members understand the plan for achieving them. - Make sure team meetings have a clear agenda and an appointed lead. - Consider introducing objectives and key results (OKRs) to organise the team’s work. **MEANING** - Recognise team members and offer help where they are struggling. - Publicly express your thanks to each person for where they have helped and created value. **IMPACT** - Create a clear vision with the whole team that strengthens the understanding of how each member’s work directly contributes to achieving the team’s and the organisation’s goals. - Help them see how each person’s work affects the organisation’s customers or users. In addition to the factors affecting effectiveness, the research also looked at how to create, support and empower effective teams. Whether or not effectiveness depends on the same factors as at Google, focus on these three steps: 1. **Agree on a common vocabulary** – define the desired behaviour and norms in the team. 2. **Create an environment for discussing team dynamics** – give the team an opportunity (place, space and time) to talk about more difficult and sensitive topics in a safe and constructive way. An HR manager or partner or an external facilitator can help. 3. **Develop and support leaders to be role models** – leaders’ example and their consistency in seeking continuous development help adopt the new vocabulary and norms of behaviour. ## Sources - Edmondson and Lei (2014). “Psychological Safety: The History, Renaissance, and Future of an Interpersonal Construct,” Annual Review Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior. - Edmondson (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly June 1999. - Goman, Carol Kinsey Ph.D.. ‘The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help–or Hurt–How You Lead.’ Jossey-Bass Publishing, April 2011. - rework.withgoogle.com The cards are based on Shalom Schwartz’s theory of values, which focuses on how people’s values shape their attitudes and behaviour. Get your own set of [personal values cards](https://www.sunergos.ee/e-pood/isiklikud-vaartused/) here, or contact our development partner [Monika Prits](https://www.sunergos.ee/en/about-us/#monika-prits), creator of the cards, who also runs trainings on how to make the best use of these cards in your work. ### Tool: Personal values - Price €69 (incl. VAT) [See more and order](https://www.sunergos.ee/e-pood/isiklikud-vaartused/) ![Monika Prits](https://www.sunergos.ee/images/team/monika-prits.jpg) About the author Monika Prits Has led teams, business areas and segments for almost 20 years, including 12 years at Telia. Today she supports organisations in moving to service-based management and coaches leaders and teams. [Write to the author](mailto:monika@sunergos.ee?subject=The%20dynamics%20of%20effective%20teams) Related ## Read these too. 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