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…building a team is hard.

Without committing to a clear plan of action… people often hesitate to call their peers on actions and behaviors that seem counterproductive to the good of the team.

Inattention to results occurs when team members put their individual needs… above the collective goals of the team.

In the context of building a team, trust is the confidence among team members that their peers’ intentions are good, and that there is no reason to be protective or careful around the group.

…it is only when team members are truly comfortable being exposed to one another that they begin to act without concern for protecting themselves.

Teams that lack trust waste inordinate amounts of time and energy managing their behaviors and interactions within the group.

Ironically, teams that avoid ideological conflict often do so in order to avoid hurting team members’ feelings, and then end up encouraging dangerous tension.

When team members do not openly debate and disagree about important ideas, they often turn to back-channel personal attacks, which are far nastier and more harmful than any heated argument over issues.

Great teams make clear and timely decisions and move forward with complete buy-in from every member of the team, even those who voted against the decision.

Great teams ensure that everyone’s ideas are genuinely considered, which then creates a willingness to rally around whatever decision is ultimately made by the group.