\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmart Teams Use 3 Practices\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Smart teams outperform\u00a0smart individuals. Use these practices to build one you\u2019re proud to lead.<\/p>\n
![\"Smart](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/leadershipfreak.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Smart-teams-outperform-brilliant-individuals.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n3 Practices That Build Smart Teams\u00a0<\/h2>\n#1 Expand the lens\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n- Ask \u201cWhat are we missing?\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Rotate the role of devil\u2019s advocate.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- In conflict, ask, \u201cWhat are we learning?\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Reframe from the view of a customer, competitor, or colleague.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Ask teammates to explain the other person\u2019s position before their own.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Hold cross-functional meetings.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Debrief with curiosity.\u00a0After decisions or conflicts, explore how each person saw the situation and why.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/leadershipfreak.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-blabbermouth-at-the-head-of-the-table-makes-teams-dumb.jpg?resize=620%2C282&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n#2 Turn-taking<\/h3>\n
Teams are dumb when a few members dominate the conversation. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\n- Ask for\u00a0conclusions first. Explanations follow.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Pass an item that indicates the right to speak\u2014a ball, rubber ducky, or flashlight. \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Invite each person to contribute before opening the floor for discussion.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Start with quieter voices. Give them prep time before the meeting.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Pause to process between speakers.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Designate someone to monitor who speaks and who hasn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Give each person a set amount of time to speak.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Note: Sometimes experts should contribute more. But be aware of a novice\u2019s creativity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More: 7 Ways to Make All Teams Smarter<\/a><\/p>\n\n![\"Curiosity](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/leadershipfreak.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Curiosity-sees-more-than-congealed-brilliance-imagines.jpg?resize=620%2C414&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n#3 Curiosity<\/h3>\n\n- Hold curiosity rounds. Bombard the issue with\u00a0\u201chow,\u201d \u201cwhy,\u201d or \u201cwhat if\u201d questions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Honor curiosity-driven inquiries. \u201cThank you for asking.\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Welcome unexpected ideas or concerns as opportunities to learn.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Expect leaders to say\u00a0\u201cI wonder if\u2026\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m curious about\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- End meetings with, \u201cWhat made you think differently today?\u201d \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
More: Curiosity \u2013 Remarkable Practices, Unexpected Benefits<\/a><\/p>\nSmart teams\u2026<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n- Accept confusion without ridicule.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Respond supportively to feedback or bad news.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Show curiosity\u00a0when something goes wrong.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Welcome\u00a0constructive dissent.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Smart teams are never an accident. They\u2019re built, not born. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nWhat\u2019s one practice you\u2019ll try in your next team meeting?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nWhat\u2019s missing from these smart team strategies?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nEvidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human Groups<\/a><\/p>\nWhat Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team<\/a><\/p>\n
- \n
- Ask \u201cWhat are we missing?\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Rotate the role of devil\u2019s advocate.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- In conflict, ask, \u201cWhat are we learning?\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Reframe from the view of a customer, competitor, or colleague.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Ask teammates to explain the other person\u2019s position before their own.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Hold cross-functional meetings.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Debrief with curiosity.\u00a0After decisions or conflicts, explore how each person saw the situation and why.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
#2 Turn-taking<\/h3>\n
Teams are dumb when a few members dominate the conversation. \u00a0<\/p>\n
- \n
- Ask for\u00a0conclusions first. Explanations follow.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Pass an item that indicates the right to speak\u2014a ball, rubber ducky, or flashlight. \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Invite each person to contribute before opening the floor for discussion.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Start with quieter voices. Give them prep time before the meeting.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Pause to process between speakers.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Designate someone to monitor who speaks and who hasn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Give each person a set amount of time to speak.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Note: Sometimes experts should contribute more. But be aware of a novice\u2019s creativity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More: 7 Ways to Make All Teams Smarter<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n#3 Curiosity<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Hold curiosity rounds. Bombard the issue with\u00a0\u201chow,\u201d \u201cwhy,\u201d or \u201cwhat if\u201d questions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Honor curiosity-driven inquiries. \u201cThank you for asking.\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Welcome unexpected ideas or concerns as opportunities to learn.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Expect leaders to say\u00a0\u201cI wonder if\u2026\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m curious about\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- End meetings with, \u201cWhat made you think differently today?\u201d \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
More: Curiosity \u2013 Remarkable Practices, Unexpected Benefits<\/a><\/p>\n
Smart teams\u2026<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Accept confusion without ridicule.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Respond supportively to feedback or bad news.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Show curiosity\u00a0when something goes wrong.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Welcome\u00a0constructive dissent.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Smart teams are never an accident. They\u2019re built, not born. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
What\u2019s one practice you\u2019ll try in your next team meeting?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
What\u2019s missing from these smart team strategies?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human Groups<\/a><\/p>\n
What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team<\/a><\/p>\n
- Welcome\u00a0constructive dissent.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Show curiosity\u00a0when something goes wrong.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Respond supportively to feedback or bad news.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Accept confusion without ridicule.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- End meetings with, \u201cWhat made you think differently today?\u201d \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Expect leaders to say\u00a0\u201cI wonder if\u2026\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m curious about\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Welcome unexpected ideas or concerns as opportunities to learn.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Honor curiosity-driven inquiries. \u201cThank you for asking.\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Hold curiosity rounds. Bombard the issue with\u00a0\u201chow,\u201d \u201cwhy,\u201d or \u201cwhat if\u201d questions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Give each person a set amount of time to speak.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Designate someone to monitor who speaks and who hasn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Pause to process between speakers.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Start with quieter voices. Give them prep time before the meeting.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Invite each person to contribute before opening the floor for discussion.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Pass an item that indicates the right to speak\u2014a ball, rubber ducky, or flashlight. \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Ask for\u00a0conclusions first. Explanations follow.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Debrief with curiosity.\u00a0After decisions or conflicts, explore how each person saw the situation and why.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Hold cross-functional meetings.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Ask teammates to explain the other person\u2019s position before their own.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Reframe from the view of a customer, competitor, or colleague.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- In conflict, ask, \u201cWhat are we learning?\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Rotate the role of devil\u2019s advocate.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n