The Synopsis
When a team underperforms, our first instinct is often to make a change – new strategies, new software, or even new people. However, what if the constant drive for change is the very thing holding your team back? According to former rugby player Nic Stirzaker of GainLine Analytics, the hidden key to unlocking success isn’t disruption, but the powerful and often-underestimated force of team cohesion.
The Hidden Price of Reactive Change
Leaders often feel pressured to act decisively when faced with a problem, a tendency known as “action bias”. This can lead to a cycle of reactive changes that, according to Stirzaker, can actually make performance worse. For instance, data shows that a sports team that makes multiple changes after a big loss is more likely to lose their next game. These reactions erode the foundation of team cohesion.
Furthermore, this issue is amplified by the “swing the pendulum” effect. A decision that seems small in the executive suite (like changing a jersey color for a sponsorship) can have massive, disruptive consequences for frontline employees who must deal with the fallout. This disconnect shows how easily team cohesion can be damaged from the top down without leadership even realising it.
What Is Team Cohesion, Really?
It’s crucial to distinguish team cohesion from company culture. While culture refers to normative behaviors like office etiquette, cohesion is the deep level of functional understanding between the component parts of a team. It’s the invisible network of relationships that allows for seamless communication and efficient collaboration, where people can anticipate each other’s moves without a word.
This concept is perfectly illustrated by the “backwards bike” analogy. An expert cyclist struggles immensely to ride a bike with reversed steering because they have to “unlearn” years of ingrained habits. Similarly, when you change a team’s processes or members, you force them to unlearn the familiar, which temporarily destroys their efficiency and breaks down the intuitive connections that define strong team cohesion.
How to Cultivate Genuine Team Cohesion
According to Stirzaker, building genuine team cohesion requires a deliberate, long-term strategy rather than quick fixes. The focus should be on creating a stable environment where deep, functional relationships can flourish. Key principles include:
- Prioritise Patience and Stability: Give your team the necessary time to build a shared history and deep understanding, which is the foundation of cohesion.
- Develop “Homegrown” Talent: Focus on promoting from within and developing employees who have a long history together, as this fosters a deep, pre-existing level of understanding.
- Ensure Absolute Role Clarity: Make sure every team member clearly understands their own job and the jobs of their colleagues to build trust and eliminate confusion.
Manage the Rate of Change: If change is necessary, introduce it slowly and intentionally, like “drip-feeding” new members into a team, to avoid destroying its core structure.