What makes a team effective and stellar?

Over two years Google conducted 200+ interviews with its employees and looked at more than 250 attributes of 180+ active Google teams for the purpose of understanding team effectiveness. They wanted to replicate the attributes of their best performing teams throughout the company.

Google started their research with a bias. They thought that they would find that the perfect mix of people (i.e., the ‘magical algorithm’) would be a Rhodes Scholar, several extroverts, a PHD, and an engineer with top code writing skills.

BUT they were wrong.  They found that who is on a team is not nearly as important as how team members interact, work together and see their individual contributions.

Google found five keys that set successful teams heads and shoulders above the rest:

Psychological safety

Dependability

Structure & clarity

Meaning of work

Impact of work

Each member of the team

Feels safe to take risks, safe to be vulnerable. Gets things done on time, takes pride in their work and does their best.

Has clear roles, plans and goals, is aware of the big picture and plays their part.

Finds meaning in their work; it's personally important to them.

Believes that what they are doing matters and will make a difference.

Here's what really surprised Google was that psychological safety was by far the most important dynamic underpinning success. Feeling safe to take risks around others on the team is critical.

People feel safe to clarify a goal if they aren't sure exactly what is expected of them and others.  They don't worry about sounding like an idiot because it's okay not to know something - no big deal, just ask.  No one is going to think you are incompetent, unaware, or out of the loop.

That's huge.  Communication can be tricky.  

Be open, and don't assume you've got this covered!  Sometimes we need to slow down and not talk so fast. And it's never a good idea to assume that someone understands what we are saying.  We need to check in - What is their understanding?  What questions or concerns are coming up for them?

It's really important to be patient and understanding.  What is second nature to us can feel daunting and huge to someone else.

On the flip side, have you ever been a part of a team where there's backstabbing and secrecy. It's very stressful.

When we feel safe, we are more likely to partner with our teammates, more likely to find creative solutions, more likely to be make money in a way that feels deeply satisfying.

When we feel safe, being a part of a team feels exciting and positive, working together as dynamic, cohesive whole.  Feeling safe, creating that feeling of safely, is a top-down thing.  If you're at the top, you set the tone, the rules, the structure; you design the playing field.

What could you do differently? Where are there cracks or leaks or things that just aren't working?

Feeling safe if you're in the middle, that's tricky.  Can you help to change a system that's negatively impacting on your integrity and health, that might be salvageable; or do you need to move on?

There's a lot to psychological safety.  It's so much more than a buzz word.  It's a key to creating and maintaining stellar teams.

Whether you are the head of a division, are an officer or run your own company . . . being a good leader is probably important to you.

Leadership is so much more than regular performance evaluations and making sure that projects are completed on time. It’s about getting to know and fully utilizing the strengths, talents, gifts, and skills of the people under your charge and care.

Yes, the team’s success is your success. But it’s no longer just about you, it’s a ‘we’ thing, something you create together. Team members can raise each other up and be so much more together than they could be working alone.

And one bad apple can spoil the bunch. So,

How do you raise your team up?

How do you inspire and motivate them to be and do their best?

How do you help them to work together in harmony and unity?

Key 1: It’s not about you!

First, get out of the way and focus on your team.  Pulling together a great team is like learning to pay the guitar. At first it takes a lot of time, hours of practice. It’s always on your mind; you think, visualize and dream about playing the guitar until it becomes a part of who you are.  So it is with your team, it takes time, energy, focus and attention to get it running smoothly and to keep it going after that.

Key 2: Capitalize on untapped strengths and abilities.

You must discover each person’s strengths, talents, gifts, and skills so you can put them to good use.  How do you do this? Keep it simple. Ask open-ended questions and be genuinely curious. Be fully present and really listen to and take in what they share, noticing what they don’t say, as well.

You can send out a questionnaire and then meet with each person to talk about what they’ve shared. If you are don’t have the time or feel that a neutral professional, like a coach, would work better then hire one.

You can ask them questions:

What skills or abilities do you have that could help the team?

What are you really good at or love to do that we are not taking advantage of?

What responsibilities do you like the least? Which ones do you enjoy the most?

What do you need to succeed that you’re not getting?

Then what? If some people could use a mentor, match them with one. If some people need further training, get it for them, if possible. If some changes need to happen within the team, collaborate with your team members and make it so.

Key 3: Be Available & Hold People Accountable

Be available. That’s what your people need, not endless meetings with lots of questions to answer.  Get to know your people. Don’t smother or micro-manage them. Just treat everyone with dignity and respect; appreciate and be grateful for what everyone brings to the mix.

Hold you team collectively and individually accountable. You can do this by being a responsible, dependable, trustworthy leader.

Your people need to know that if they make a mistake, they can come to you to find a solution.  Support them. Don’t expect or demand perfection. Give them room to be creative, to bring their inspiration and uniqueness to the group, making sure they feel safe to speak up.

Remember to be adaptable.  Change is constant and inevitable. Be humble.  Know your strengths, don’t flaunt them.  Know your weakness and work on raising them up. 

Be willing to learn and grow from others; that makes you accessible, real and accountable, someone people like to be around.

There’s a lot of wisdom in Simon Sinek’s book, Leaders Eat Last.  Simon talks about how in the military, officers feed their troops first and always eat last.

This may seem counter intuitive, but it's not! Officers honor their responsibility to those who serve under them by taking care of their needs first, and we can learn a lot from them.  When we take care of our employees or team or division first, they take care of the people important to us, our clients and customers.

One way to do this is to give everyone a voice, an opportunity to be appreciated and heard.  Imagine your next meeting where you spoke last, no one knowing your views on the subject of the meeting, no thoughts or comments shared after each person speaks, no nodding your head in approval or disapproval.

Could you do this? What would happen if you did?  My challenge is to give it go.  If you really want your people to energized, enthusiastic and willing to give their best to succeed.

Can this be challenging? Yes.  For me, it felt like skiing down a mountain for the first time as a young adult.  I had just moved to Colorado and "You want me to point the tips of my skis down the mountain?  Are you crazy?"

Even if what I share goes counter to everything inside of you, pretend you have a pen in your mouth and cannot speak and watch the magic unfold. Each meeting could get better and better as your people learn the new 'rules' and feel more and more comfortable contributing.

Want specifics? Here's a step-by-step guide to running your next meeting.

Circulate a memo outlining the purpose of the meeting and what will be discussed. State the facts. Be straight forward, clear, and succinct. Don’t share any of your thoughts or feelings on the matter with anyone!

Schedule the meeting a few days later, setting time limits and parameters for the meeting.

Start the meeting by succinctly presenting the topic and welcome all discussion, all comments, ideas, innovations, concerns, and thoughts.

Allow everyone to speak.

If someone doesn’t volunteer, ask for their input.

Make sure that no one monopolizes the conversation.

Have clear boundaries and let everyone know in advance that this is a group effort, and that everyone will have equal time to participate.

Set time limits if necessary if monopolizers or know-it-alls are in the room.

Keep people on topic. If someone wanders off, thank them and let them know that this topic is for another meeting.

Thank everyone after they have shared. No feedback, verbal or non-verbal. Simply, “Thank. you, Frank. Julie, what are your thoughts on the matter?”

Be genuinely curious. Ask open ended questions:  Tell me more about that?” “What do you mean when you say…..” “Thanks for sharing, Indra. I’m curious how that would affect…..” “Joe, do you have any thoughts about that?”

Keep the meeting flowing and moving forward. Specifically asking different people in the room for their input or comments based upon what someone else has shared can be a great way to be inclusive.

Wrapping up the meeting after everyone has shared, go around the room as ask each person for their ‘take away’. "Jennifer, what's your takeaway for today's meeting?"  Or just ask a few key people if that's not possible because of time constraints.

Thank everyone for their input. Then briefly share your thoughts and feelings on the matter. Your vision. How you see things, giving yourself permission to change what you are going to say based on the great ideas and comments you have heard!

Close the meeting by either making a decision or letting everyone know that you will ponder all that has been shared and get back to them shortly.

The bottom line is to come to the meeting open to what everyone has to share as if you know nothing, open to all possibilities. The youngest, most inexperienced person there could be the one to offer the best idea.  And, in so doing you build openness; your people feel heard. They are a part of the decision-making process! And that builds trust and buy in to what you ultimately decide.

For attorneys and professionals who want to strengthen client trust

navigate complex conversations, and lead with clarity and calm assurance

There is a difference between being respected and being trusted

In the legal profession, expertise matters.

It is earned through years of education, experience, and disciplined thinking. It builds credibility. It opens doors.

And yet, inside law firms and professional environments, something else quietly determines who people turn to when it matters most.

Not just for answers.
But for guidance.
For steadiness.
For judgment.

Some attorneys are respected for what they know.

Others are trusted for how they lead.

That difference is shaped, again and again, in conversation.

In how someone listens.
In how they respond under pressure.
In how they handle moments that are uncertain, tense, or important.

Trusted leadership is not something declared.
It is something experienced.

They listen beyond the words

Most of us are trained to listen for information.

Facts. Issues. Positions. Strategy.

Trusted leaders listen for something more.

They listen for what matters beneath the words.

A hesitation in a client’s voice.
A concern that has not yet been spoken directly.
A shift in tone that signals something is off.

This kind of listening is not passive.

It is focused. It is intentional. It is disciplined.

And it changes everything.

Clients feel understood—not managed.
Colleagues feel respected—not overridden.
Conversations become more productive, because what actually matters has room to surface.

In legal practice, this is not just a “soft skill.”
It is a practical advantage in client relationships, negotiation, and sound decision-making.

They pause before they speak

In demanding professional environments, the pressure to respond quickly is constant.

To have the answer.
To move things forward.
To demonstrate confidence.

Trusted leaders do something that can look deceptively simple.

They pause.

Not because they lack clarity—but because they value it.

That pause allows them to notice what is happening in the room.
To separate reaction from response.
To choose words that will move the conversation forward, not escalate it.

It is in that small space that better thinking happens.

And over time, others begin to feel the difference.

There is less urgency.
More intention.
More trust in what is said—and how it is said.

They communicate with clarity, not force

There is a common misunderstanding in professional environments that clarity requires force.

That to be effective, communication must be firm, fast, and sometimes sharp.

Trusted leaders show a different way.

They are clear.
But they are not harsh.

They say what needs to be said—without overcomplicating, and without overpowering.

Their goal is not to win the moment.
It is to move the conversation.

Clients understand where they stand.
Teams understand what matters.
Decisions are made with greater confidence and less confusion.

Clarity, delivered with steadiness, is far more powerful than force.

They address what others avoid

Every law firm has conversations that linger just below the surface.

Misalignment between colleagues.
Unspoken expectations.
Tension that is felt but not addressed.

Avoiding these moments can feel easier in the short term.

But over time, avoidance creates strain—on relationships, on performance, and on culture.

Trusted leaders are willing to step into these conversations.

Not abruptly.
Not aggressively.

But directly, and with care.

They understand that a well-handled conversation can strengthen a relationship.
And that what is left unspoken often becomes more difficult with time.

This is where leadership becomes visible—not in control, but in courage and skill.

They regulate themselves first

Before any conversation begins externally, something is happening internally.

A reaction.
A judgment.
A sense of urgency or frustration.

Trusted leaders are aware of this.

They notice what is arising—and they do not immediately act from it.

Instead, they steady themselves.

This is what allows them to remain composed when others are not.
To stay thoughtful when the pressure rises.
To bring calm into conversations that could easily become adversarial.

This kind of self-regulation is not about suppressing emotion.

It is about leading it.

And in professional settings—especially in high-stakes legal work—it is essential.

They align their words with their intent

People are highly attuned to inconsistency.

When words and tone do not match, something feels off.

Even if no one says it directly, trust begins to erode.

Trusted leaders take care with alignment.

They are direct—but not cutting.
Honest—but not careless.
Clear—but not rigid.

There is a consistency in how they show up.

And over time, that consistency becomes something others rely on.

They understand that every conversation matters

Leadership is not built only in formal meetings or major decisions.

It is built in the small moments.

A brief exchange in the hallway.
A response to an email.
A tone in a meeting when something is not going as planned.

These moments accumulate.

They shape how others experience working with you.
Whether they feel respected.
Whether they feel heard.
Whether they trust your judgment.

Trusted leaders recognize this.

They understand that communication is not separate from leadership.

It is leadership.

A more grounded approach to leadership in law firms

As attorneys and professionals step into greater responsibility, many begin to notice something.

Technical expertise, while essential, is not what carries the most weight in complex situations.

It is the ability to:

• navigate important conversations with clarity

• build trust with clients and colleagues

• manage pressure without losing perspective

• communicate in a way that brings both steadiness and direction

These are not abstract qualities.

They are practical communication and leadership skills that influence:

• client relationships

• negotiation outcomes

• team effectiveness

• and the overall strength of a professional culture

More and more, law firms are recognizing that these skills can be developed—and that investing in them strengthens both performance and long-term success.

Trusted leadership is built over time

There is no single moment that defines a trusted leader.

It is built gradually.

In how you listen.
In how you respond.
In how you handle what is difficult, uncertain, or important.

Small shifts in communication can change the tone of a conversation.
The direction of a relationship.
The outcome of a situation.

And over time, those shifts become something more.

A way of leading that others experience as clear, steady, and dependable.