Smart Teams Use 3 Practices

Smart teams outperform smart individuals. Use these practices to build one you’re proud to lead.

Smart teams outperform brilliant individuals. Imgage of a team working around a table.

3 Practices That Build Smart Teams 

#1 Expand the lens 

  • Ask “What are we missing?” 
  • Rotate the role of devil’s advocate. 
  • In conflict, ask, “What are we learning?” 
  • Reframe from the view of a customer, competitor, or colleague. 
  • Ask teammates to explain the other person’s position before their own. 
  • Hold cross-functional meetings. 
  • Debrief with curiosity. After decisions or conflicts, explore how each person saw the situation and why. 

#2 Turn-taking

Teams are dumb when a few members dominate the conversation.  

  • Ask for conclusions first. Explanations follow. 
  • Pass an item that indicates the right to speak—a ball, rubber ducky, or flashlight.  
  • Invite each person to contribute before opening the floor for discussion. 
  • Start with quieter voices. Give them prep time before the meeting. 
  • Pause to process between speakers. 
  • Designate someone to monitor who speaks and who hasn’t. 
  • Give each person a set amount of time to speak. 

Note: Sometimes experts should contribute more. But be aware of a novice’s creativity. 

More: 7 Ways to Make All Teams Smarter

Curiosity sees more than congealed brilliance imagines. Image of an owl tipping its head sideways.

#3 Curiosity

  • Hold curiosity rounds. Bombard the issue with “how,” “why,” or “what if” questions. 
  • Honor curiosity-driven inquiries. “Thank you for asking.” 
  • Welcome unexpected ideas or concerns as opportunities to learn. 
  • Expect leaders to say “I wonder if…” or “I’m curious about…” 
  • End meetings with, “What made you think differently today?”  

More: Curiosity – Remarkable Practices, Unexpected Benefits

Smart teams… 

  • Accept confusion without ridicule. 
  • Respond supportively to feedback or bad news. 
  • Show curiosity when something goes wrong. 
  • Welcome constructive dissent. 

Smart teams are never an accident. They’re built, not born.  

What’s one practice you’ll try in your next team meeting? 

What’s missing from these smart team strategies? 

Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human Groups

What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team