I approached 'Extreme Teams' expecting to find a few interesting ideas, but really, would it be any different from other team profile books I've read?
But Robert Bruce Shaw surprised me in a very positive way. It's enjoyable and educational, and it goes into some light psychology with a heavier focus on process, with a similar ratio between theory and case studies. And it's not recycled case studies that you hear over and over again. Yes, there are recognisable companies, hailed for their culture, such as Zappos, Whole Foods, Netflix, Airbnb or Patagonia, but there are quotes and details I've never heard of before, for example I had no idea that Whole Foods was transparent when it comes to the salaries of employees! This is very refreshing news to me by the way!
To summarise the main learnings, I'd say 'Extreme Teams' highlights the connection between results and relationships - how one impacts the other. The author brings up both the positive sides as well as the negative sides of prioritising one over the other, the infamous Amazon serving as an example when they cut costs by constructing a building without AC, and then placing ambulances in front instead. More specifically, a few things that made me think:
- 'Researchers found that people assess others based on two primary dimensions: competence and warmth. [...] Moreover, the researchers found that the perception of another's warmth appears to be the first criteria in judging them.' - This to me sounds almost like first impressions, like the 'vibe' you get from someone, how you gel, which in the workplace would express itself as offering support or being available for a chat. It makes absolute sense that such innate behaviours would show in structured settings too.
- 'Stronger interpersonal ties increased team performance only to a certain point, and then performance began to decline' - the author mentions consequences such as prioritising these ties as opposed to results, avoiding conflict by prioritising group harmony, or becoming defensive against external people.
- The author also mentions different strategies in removing underperformers. Some companies, like Netflix, have a low tolerance for underperformers and they are offered an exit. Zappos, which is on paper a 'softer' company, attempts to find this person a better suited place, whereas Pixar waits until this person's team has come to the conclusion that they are underperforming, making it less surprising and more of the logical decision. While I can appreciate the timing issue, and the reasoning behind it, I'd love to know more about the risks of keeping an underperformer who might drag the team down further in the waiting period.
- Alibaba's CEO Ma mentions that he hired people who were one or two levels below the best students in their universities, arguing that they would have experienced difficulties that would have tested their grit. I do wonder what this means in terms of seeing through something, and demonstrated results.
I'd absolutely recommend this book, it strikes a great balance in its critique of these approaches, arguing how they might mirror the culture and the mission of the respective companies. The author showed throughout that he was very tuned in to the spirit of what they each were building and the individual personalities that each of these businesses have.