What is Google’s secret?
Is it free food? The trendy work environment? With pool tables, video games, basketball courts, late night sushi and anything else that you can imagine.
Or is it because teams are colocated? Working in the same building, on the same floor, sitting in open floor plans right next to each other.
Or is it as simple as creating a team full of rock stars? Get the best product manager, engineer, and UX designer into one team, lock them into a room, and then wait for magic to happen.
Well….not exactly.
Google uses the following five key dimensions to build a high performing product team.
A few years ago, Google embarked on a research project to figure out how to build effective teams.
After interviewing 200 employees, 180 teams, and collecting 250 data points. The research team uncovered that high performing teams had the following 5 characteristics,
Psychological Safety: Team members felt safe taking risks, experimenting, and trying out new ideas. Especially in the early phases of product discovery. They knew that they will not be reprimanded if they make a mistake.
Dependability: Team members felt that they could rely on their team, regardless of role and title. That the team took pride in delivering quality work – building product strategy, creating prototypes, creating roadmaps, defining MVP, conducting user interviews etc.
Structure: The product teams were well structured. The teams included the right mix of skills, knowledge / expertise, and cross functional representation. And that everyone had a clear understanding of the product’s goals.
Meaning: Each member was personally motivated to be part of the team. Motivations varied by individuals – career advancement, financial gain, supporting family, self expression etc.
Impact: The product goals were defined, measurable, and attainable. Each member felt that achieving these goals would make a difference. And that they were positively contributing back to their organization.
Teams that exhibited these five characteristics stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Google found that high performing product teams blew average teams out of the water. They found that these teams were,
Effective: They consistently delivered results. It was not about releases or output. They are laser focused on impact and outcomes.
Empowered: They had complete ownership over the user problem they’re trying to solve. User feedback and data is how they decide what to build / not to build.
Efficient: The teams were self organizing. Yes each individual had an area of expertise within the team structure. But everyone did a little bit of everything to get the job done.
As a result, these high performing teams built better products, that delivered bigger impact, faster.
How do you build high performing team’s in your organization?
This article is part of a three part series
- How Google Builds High Performing Product Teams (this article)
- Do You Have High Performing Product Teams In Your Organization?
- 10 Practical Tips To Turn Your Average Team Into High Performers (Make Your Product Team More Effective, Empowered, And Efficient)
