Chapter 4. Effective Management Behaviors: Research from Google
In Chapter 1, we looked at how Google’s Project Oxygen and Project Aristotle identified key factors that make teams effective. In this chapter, we’ll dive deeper into these research projects, but from the perspective of how their findings reveal what makes a good engineering manager.
Examining this research helps us understand the specific behaviors and practices of effective engineering leadership. We can then adopt and develop these behaviors ourselves to lead high-performing teams in organizations of any size.
In this chapter, I will walk you through the list of essential behaviors for engineering managers as identified by Project Oxygen. I will discuss each and how you could develop these behaviors yourself. Similarly, I will also discuss what the findings of Project Aristotle regarding factors that contribute to team effectiveness could mean for you as a manager.
Project Oxygen
Project Oxygen was a research initiative launched by Google in 2008 to identify the qualities of a great manager at Google. The project was led by the People Analytics team—a team of researchers that studies employee data and finds ways to create and maintain a great workplace at Google. Before going into the details of this project, let’s get the story of what Google was like before the project was launched.
A Brief History
Historically, some highly motivated engineering teams questioned the need for managers. They believed they could manage their own work without oversight. In its early days, Google even experimented with a completely flat organizational structure that eliminated middle management. However, as the company grew, it became clear that good managers were critical to team performance.
Fast-forward to 2007, when Google pioneered setting up a People Analytics team as part of its human resource function to help tackle employee well-being and productivity issues.
The team started examining the effect managers have on their teams. It worked to prove that “managers didn’t matter.” It used performance reviews and exit interview data to determine if better management helped reduce turnover or improve employee satisfaction. The data revealed that teams with great managers were, in fact, happier and more productive. Managerial responsibilities go beyond overseeing day-to-day work. They must also support employees’ personal needs, development, and career planning. Once it had established that employee well-being and productivity were related to manager quality—that managers do matter—the team launched Project Oxygen to determine what makes a manager great at Google.
Research Process
To answer the question, “What makes managers great at Google?” the People Analytics research team conducted detailed employee surveys targeting manager quality. It asked employees about their managers and, at the same time, conducted double-anonymized qualitative interviews with managers, asking questions such as “How often do you have career development discussions with your direct reports?” and “What do you do to develop a vision for your team?”
The team also identified the best and worst managers at Google, based on comments from surveys, performance reviews, and submissions for the company’s Great Manager Award. Managers from all levels and geographies, and from Google’s three primary functions (engineering, global business, and general and administrative), participated in the study.
Combining qualitative interview data and knowledge of the best and worst managers revealed illustrative examples of effective and ineffective management styles.
The research helped Google identify 8 key behaviors common to high-performing managers at Google. Over the years, these were incorporated into Google’s manager development programs and further updated to 10 key behaviors. I will discuss these behaviors in detail in the next section.
Behaviors of High-Performing Managers
Project Oxygen’s expansion of the behaviors of high-performing managers from 8 to 10 goes to show that people are always learning. These behaviors are taught at Google manager training but can be used at any organization.
The 10 key behaviors are summarized in Figure 4-1.
Figure 4-1. The 10 behaviors of high-performing managers
You’ll notice some of these behaviors, such as coaching and providing feedback, have surfaced in earlier chapters in the context of effective leadership. All of these behaviors are interconnected aspects of being a great manager that enables team success. Let’s examine each one in more detail.
Is a good coach
Great managers coach their team members to develop their skills and reach their full potential. Good coaches are patient, empathetic, and supportive. They are self-aware, good listeners, and able to give constructive feedback. They don’t act like coaches only when it’s convenient or when they need something from their coachees; they genuinely care about the coachee’s success.
To become a good coach, you should do the following:
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Give thoughtful, specific, well-modulated, and constructive feedback on a timely basis.
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Offer guidance and articulate your expectations, ensuring that others understand and can implement the message.
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Hold regular one-on-ones with direct reports to coach them on their performance and discuss career goals.
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Tailor coaching to each individual’s strengths, motivations, and development areas.
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Ask good questions to help people think through their options. Also actively listen to answers and understand where others are coming from.
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Demonstrate empathy to create a safe and supportive environment where coachees feel comfortable expressing themselves, discussing challenges, and seeking guidance.
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Have the ability to motivate and inspire using various techniques, such as positive reinforcement, setting high standards, celebrating successes, and fostering a growth mindset.
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Lead by example and embody the qualities and behaviors you want to instill in your team. Demonstrate integrity, resilience, commitment, and a growth mindset through your actions.
Empowers team without micromanaging
A good manager empowers their team members to do excellent work by giving them space to make decisions and solve problems independently. Empowerment without micromanagement is key. Here’s how you can empower your team:
- Offer stretch assignments
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Ask team members if they have the bandwidth to work on something that’s beyond their current knowledge or skill level. Such assignments (also known as stretch assignments) give them an opportunity to learn, grow, and “stretch” themselves developmentally by placing them in a challenging position.
- Intervene judiciously and with a light touch
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Balance the autonomy you offer team members with being available and dependable when someone needs advice. For example, after assigning a task that should take five days, I don’t ask my team to give me a daily update, but I would expect it to let me know immediately if it is not able to proceed for some reason.
- Encourage autonomy
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Allow team members to identify solutions independently, standing behind to steer them in the right direction only when needed. I once heard a Googler say these words of appreciation for their manager: “Although he gives me the freedom to work toward my goals, he knows when to intervene and advises me not to pursue problems unnecessarily if things don’t go well.”
- Encourage innovation and thoughtful risk-taking
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Encourage your team members to think out of the box by allowing them some time to further analyze or try out their ideas. Reward successful initiatives to build trust.
- Be a cheerleader for your team
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Advocate for your team to those outside it, be they senior management, another team, or end users. Communicate your team’s achievements and ensure that they get the recognition they deserve. Give credit where it is due; this can be an essential aspect of motivating your employees (and yourself).
- Provide constructive feedback
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Provide feedback where helpful in a way that helps employees grow professionally—not only by discussing achievements but also by helping with areas where there’s room for improvement.
Empowering team members and providing autonomy means giving people space within which they can grow as individuals and professionals. A great manager understands that this is one of the best ways for them or anyone else on their team to develop professionally—and that such growth should never stop!
Creates an inclusive team environment, showing concern for success and well-being
A good manager understands that to create an inclusive team environment, one has to show concern for success and well-being. They create a safe space for team members to share their ideas and opinions, encourage them to think creatively and solve problems, show concern for the health of colleagues by offering support if they’re having personal issues, encourage team members to learn from mistakes without judgment, and take time to get to know each team member personally.
Some of the things that you can do regularly to create an inclusive team environment include the following:
- Make new team members feel welcomed
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Proactively welcome new team members and help them integrate into the team. You can assign a buddy or mentor to guide the newcomer, introduce them to team members, and provide necessary resources and information to facilitate a smooth onboarding process. This helps new team members feel valued and part of the team from the start.
- Build rapport within the team
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Encourage team-building activities and facilitate opportunities for team members to connect and bond with each other, helping build rapport within the team. Team lunches, social events, and team-building exercises provide avenues for fostering positive relationships and open communication channels.
- Be an enthusiastic cheerleader to support the team
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Managers play a crucial role in motivating and supporting their team members. Celebrate team successes, acknowledge individual achievements, and provide recognition and positive feedback. By being an enthusiastic cheerleader, you can boost morale, instill confidence, and create a positive and uplifting environment where team members feel valued and motivated to excel.
- Role-model civility
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Leading by example, managers should demonstrate professionalism, treat team members with dignity, and promote inclusivity. When managers exemplify respect for diverse perspectives, the team will follow suit in fostering an environment where everyone feels welcomed and valued.
- Actively care about, understand, and support team members’ well-being
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Actively caring about team members’ well-being involves regular check-ins with individuals to ask about their workload and provide resources or support when needed. By actively listening, showing empathy, and addressing concerns, you can create an environment where team members feel supported.
- Show support in good and bad times
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Being a cheerleader also involves supporting your team during difficult times, such as setbacks or failures. At such times, you can offer encouragement, provide assistance, and foster a culture of learning from mistakes rather than blame. By demonstrating unwavering support, you can cultivate a sense of trust and loyalty within the team.
- Create psychological safety on the team
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This involves encouraging open dialogue, actively listening to different perspectives, and addressing conflicts or issues promptly and respectfully. When team members feel psychologically safe (as described in Chapter 1), they are more likely to contribute their unique insights, fostering innovation and collaboration.
A good manager is willing to learn from their team members and collaborate with them. A good manager is flexible enough to change their approach if one isn’t working well, and they only force their ideas on others if necessary.
Managers at Google are encouraged to show concern for employees’ well-being using a technique called One Simple Thing. The idea is to let employees identify one simple thing that could help improve their well-being and work-life balance. The goals are non-work-related and easy to pursue. For example, “I will take a one-hour break three times a week to work out,” or “I will disconnect on a one-week vacation this quarter.” You can start the same practice in your team, too.
Is productive and results oriented
You can be productive and get results, but you must be results oriented, working toward set goals to manage effectively. This is not just about setting the bar high but also about pushing for outcomes. It’s about working with your team to understand what success looks like and how you can get there together. It means setting clear goals and objectives, having regular meetings to track progress against them, and making adjustments as needed. It also means holding yourself accountable for the results of your team.
The following are ways to help drive your team toward achieving goals and delivering successful outcomes:
- Assemble a diverse team
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A diverse team includes people from different cultural backgrounds and with varied skills, experience levels, and perspectives. Results-oriented managers understand the value of diversity. You can foster creativity, innovation, and problem-solving by bringing together a diverse range of talents and viewpoints, leading to more robust and well-rounded outcomes.
- Translate the vision/strategy into measurable goals
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Effective managers translate the overarching vision or strategy into clear, measurable goals for their teams. Break down larger objectives into smaller, actionable milestones that your team members can understand and work toward. By setting specific and measurable goals, you provide a clear direction and focus for your team, ensuring that efforts align with the overall vision.
- Structure the team and allocate resources to achieve their goals
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Results-oriented managers understand the importance of structuring their teams to optimize efficiency and productivity. Assess the skills and expertise of team members and allocate tasks and responsibilities accordingly. Additionally, ensure that the team has the necessary resources to accomplish its goals effectively, such as budget, technology, and training.
- Be clear about who owns what
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Goal-driven managers establish clear lines of ownership and accountability within the team. Define roles and responsibilities, ensuring that each team member understands their specific areas of ownership. This clarity prevents confusion and duplication of efforts and ensures everyone is aware of their individual contributions to the team’s overall success.
- Remove any roadblocks the team may have
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Goal-driven managers actively identify and remove any roadblocks or obstacles that may hinder the team’s progress. You should proactively address challenges arising from internal processes, resource constraints, or external factors. By facilitating problem-solving, providing guidance, and leveraging their influence, goal-driven managers enable the team to overcome obstacles and stay on track toward achieving its goals.
- Be foresighted and plan for potential risks
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When you are focused on results, you tend to have the foresight to anticipate changes and plan for them so that you can guide your team through these changes toward a successful outcome. To prepare for challenges, you can stay informed about industry trends, market shifts, or internal organizational changes and proactively plan for these potential disruptions. By having contingency plans and adapting strategies in response to changes, you ensure that your team remains agile and can navigate uncertainties toward successful outcomes.
Supports career development and discusses performance
Good managers are honest and open about their expectations, giving the team members plenty of feedback so that they can improve. They also provide constructive criticism in a way that encourages team members to grow rather than discouraging them from trying at all. They don’t wait until performance reviews to give feedback but give it regularly throughout the year. Good managers also give their team members opportunities to grow. They help them learn new skills and provide the resources they need to succeed in their careers.
To become a good career developer, you should do the following:
- Communicate performance expectations
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Clearly communicate performance expectations to your employees. Establish clear goals, milestones, and performance standards, ensuring that employees understand what is expected of them. By providing this clarity, you enable employees to align their efforts and performance with organizational objectives.
- Give employees fair performance evaluations
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Conduct fair and objective performance evaluations. Provide timely and constructive feedback to employees, highlighting their strengths, areas for improvement, and potential growth opportunities. By offering honest assessments, you facilitate the professional growth of employees and enable them to make informed decisions regarding their career paths.
- Explain how compensation is tied to performance
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Employees need to understand how their compensation is tied to their performance. Explain the performance-based compensation structure, including the criteria used to determine salary increases, bonuses, or other rewards. By clarifying this connection, you can provide a transparent and equitable compensation system.
- Advise employees on career prospects other than promotion
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Career growth does not always mean climbing the hierarchical ladder. Advise employees on alternative career paths within the organization, such as lateral moves, special projects, or cross-functional opportunities. By broadening employees’ understanding of career prospects, you can help them explore diverse avenues for development and advancement.
- Help team members find ways to grow and change within the company
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Actively assist your team members in identifying and pursuing growth opportunities within the company. Encourage employees to explore professional development programs, training initiatives, certifications, or stretch assignments that align with their interests and career aspirations. By doing this, you foster a culture of continuous learning and development by supporting employees in their growth journeys.
Google uses the GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Will) model to structure career development conversations between managers and their direct reports. The model is based on four key questions:
- Goal
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What do you want? This question assesses a person’s career aspirations, dream role, motivation, and values.
- Reality
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What’s happening now? This question tries to gauge what a person feels about their current role—if they feel challenged or frustrated.
- Options
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What could you do? Discuss options that could help take a person from the current state (reality) closer to achieving their goals.
- Will
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What will you do now? Identify the best option and steps to help someone start on that path.
You can use a similar structure when conducting performance reviews or career progression discussions with your direct reports.
Has a clear vision/strategy for the team
Good managers know their team needs a clear vision and strategy that is communicated effectively. They help their team understand the “why” behind their actions. Good managers lead by example and can motivate their team members through their passion for the company’s mission and vision. They hold regular meetings and one-on-ones with team members to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding goals, plans, and priorities.
Managers with a clear vision can inspire and align their team members toward achieving organizational goals. Here’s how you can do it, too:
- Create a vision/strategy to inspire team members
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Craft a compelling narrative that inspires and motivates team members. Develop a vision that paints a vivid picture of the team’s future success, highlighting the impact and value of its work. Thus, you can ignite enthusiasm and commitment to shared objectives.
- Align the team’s vision/strategy with the company’s
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Ensure that you understand the company’s mission, values, and strategic objectives, and then translate those into a vision that aligns with the team’s purpose. This creates a sense of purpose and direction that drives collective effort.
- Involve the team in creating the vision where it makes sense
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Wherever possible, solicit input, ideas, and perspectives from team members, fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment. By involving the team in the decision-making process, you can tap into diverse expertise, promote collaboration, and create a shared vision that reflects the team’s collective wisdom.
- Clearly communicate the vision, helping the team understand and encouraging questions
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Use clear and concise language, avoid jargon, and ensure everyone easily understands the message. Provide context, explain the rationale behind the vision, and encourage team members to ask questions and seek clarification.
- Help the team understand how the overall strategy translates to its work
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Learn how to bridge the gap between the overall strategy and the day-to-day work of your team members. Help team members understand how their contributions fit into the larger strategic framework. You can enhance employee engagement, motivation, and a sense of purpose by explaining the direct impact of the team’s work on the achievement of strategic goals.
Google recommends using the following steps, shown in Figure 4-2, to help teams define their values and connect them to their short-term goals:
- Core values
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The team’s deeply held beliefs
- Purpose
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The reason why the team exists
- Mission
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What the team is trying to achieve
- Strategy
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How the team plans to realize the mission
- Goals
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Short-term, achievable objectives to implement the strategy
Figure 4-2. From values to goals
Your core values and purpose help you define your mission. Once you know your mission, you can develop a long-term strategy to achieve it. This then helps you identify the short-term goals you need to achieve at each stage to ensure the successful implementation of your strategy.
Has key technical skills to help advise the team
Managers can use their technical knowledge and context to advise their team in the following ways:
- Help the team navigate technical complexity
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You should be able to understand the technical complexities that your team faces. You are familiar with the overall intricacies of the projects and can guide your team members through challenges and obstacles. You are able to provide clarity, direction, and support, helping the team navigate complex technical issues and find practical solutions.
- Understand the challenges of the work
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Managers of technical teams should have firsthand knowledge and experience in the technical domains their teams operate in. You should understand the challenges and intricacies of your team members’ work, including the tools, processes, and methodologies involved. This understanding will help you to empathize with your team, anticipate potential roadblocks, and provide relevant guidance and support.
- Use technical skills to help solve problems
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You should be able to leverage your expertise to contribute to problem-solving efforts. You can actively engage with the team in troubleshooting and finding innovative solutions. By sharing your technical knowledge and insights, you provide valuable input that helps the team overcome technical hurdles and achieve project objectives.
- Learn new skills to meet business needs
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You should recognize that staying updated with the latest trends, tools, and technologies in a dynamic landscape is vital. You can invest in learning and expanding your technical skills to meet evolving business needs. By keeping yourself abreast of industry advancements, you can make informed decisions, provide relevant guidance to your team, and ensure that technical strategies align with organizational goals.
- Bridge the gap between technical and nontechnical stakeholders
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Develop strong communication skills such that you can effectively bridge the gap between technical and nontechnical stakeholders. This will help you translate complex technical concepts into easily understandable terms for stakeholders who may not have a technical background. Thus, you can ensure alignment between technical solutions and business objectives by facilitating clear communication and understanding.
Is a strong decision maker
One of the most essential traits for a manager is being able to make vital decisions. This is especially important for managers of technical teams since they are often called upon to make decisions about the direction of their team and company. They need to be able to weigh different options and select the best one based on their knowledge of technology, business needs, and goals.
The best managers can look at a problem from all angles and make decisions based on the information they have. They can avoid getting stuck in their way of thinking, which is essential when dealing with complex problems requiring many different viewpoints.
You can become a strong decision maker using the following strategies:
- Make decisions efficiently, with the best interests of the business in mind
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Demonstrate a sense of urgency when needed, ensuring that decisions are made promptly without unnecessary delays. Approach decision making objectively, basing judgments on facts, data, and logical reasoning rather than personal biases or emotions.
- Make decisions with an eye toward the situation at hand
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Consider the unique characteristics and context of each situation before making a decision. Analyze the specific circumstances, including the nature of the problem, the available resources, the potential risks, and the desired outcomes. Adapt a decision-making approach based on the situation’s complexity, urgency, and potential impact.
- Clearly communicate decision-making rationale
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You should be able to communicate your rationale clearly and transparently. You will often need to justify the decision by explaining the factors considered, the analysis performed, and the reasoning behind the decision. By communicating the rationale, you can help others understand the decision’s logic and align their understanding with the desired outcomes. This transparency fosters trust, reduces ambiguity, and enables stakeholders to effectively support and implement the decision.
Collaborates across the company
The best managers collaborate across the business to ensure that their teams work together effectively. They don’t just focus on their departments or teams; they take a more holistic view of the company. They understand that cooperation between different groups is essential to the success of any project, and they do what they can to facilitate those interactions.
To become a good cross-functional collaborator, you should consistently do the following things:
- Prioritize collective goals and outcomes that align with the overall business objectives, even when they require cross-functional collaboration
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This means proactively seeking opportunities to partner with other teams where it will produce the best results for the company, rather than focusing solely on one’s own team’s deliverables. It involves fostering a mindset of “we’re all in this together” and making decisions based on promoting the collective good.
- Seek opportunities to partner with other teams where it will produce the best results for the business as a whole
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Rather than waiting for cross-functional collaboration to be requested or mandated, proactively seek out chances to align your team’s efforts with the company’s overarching goals and strategies.
- Role-model collaboration across different teams and functions
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Lead by example and actively promote collaboration across different teams and functions. Encourage open communication, information sharing, and knowledge exchange. Proactively build relationships with stakeholders from various departments and work collaboratively to achieve shared goals. By demonstrating the value of collaboration, you can inspire others to do the same and contribute to a culture of cross-functional teamwork.
- Hold your team accountable for following company practices/policies
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Ensure that your team adheres to the company’s practices and policies. Set clear expectations and hold your team members accountable for following established guidelines and protocols. By ensuring consistency and compliance, you can establish a harmonious working environment and demonstrate your commitment to the organization’s values and standards.
- Take part in the company’s culture and community
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Actively engage in the company’s culture and community by participating in company-wide events, initiatives, and social activities. You can contribute to a positive and inclusive work environment by fostering a sense of belonging and promoting collaboration across different teams. Try to make the workplace welcoming for everyone, embracing diversity and creating an environment where all employees feel valued and included.
Outcomes
Project Oxygen accomplished what it set out to do and proved that managers mattered. It then took it a step further and also quantitatively established and institutionalized the essential qualities of great managers. The team took the concept of data-driven continuous improvement and applied it successfully to the soft skills of leadership, communication, collaboration, and ultimately management.
The behaviors identified in the project have had a positive impact on Google employee performance, satisfaction, and turnover. The project has also helped Google create a more effective and efficient management team. The findings have been incorporated into Google’s manager development programs. These programs help new and existing managers learn the skills and behaviors necessary to be great managers at Google. In fact, Google revamped the selection criteria for their annual Great Manager Award to reflect the Project Oxygen behaviors.
Widespread adoption of Project Oxygen behaviors has significantly impacted how employees rate the degree of collaboration at Google, the transparency of performance evaluations, and their groups’ commitment to innovation and risk-taking. These factors have contributed to the following:
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Increased employee performance
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Improved employee satisfaction
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Reduced employee turnover
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Better decision making
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Increased collaboration
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A more positive work environment
Insights from Project Oxygen findings are valuable for any organization that wants to improve its management team. The behaviors identified in the project are essential for any manager who wants to be successful. Having seen what it meant for Google, you can now see how a similar strategy can be implemented in other organizations irrespective of size and type.
Leveraging Project Oxygen’s Findings
With its focus on innovation and a firm commitment to user experience as well as employee well-being, Google has been a unique organization since its birth. It is also a large organization that practices diversity in product offerings and people culture. While the insights from Project Oxygen are valuable and helped make a significant difference to work life at Google, how can it help you as a software engineering manager?
There are two key aspects to this conversation:
- Your current background and skill set
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You can self-reflect on your background and current skill set in relation to Project Oxygen’s findings. One way of doing this is using the findings as a checklist and identifying areas where you need to meet the requirements or fall short. For example:
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Perhaps you recognize that you need more experience in effective coaching. You can then proactively seek opportunities to develop your coaching skills. Identify someone on your team who may benefit from your guidance. Create a plan of action tailored to their needs. Discuss with them and let them know you welcome feedback on how to improve as a coach.
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Maybe you need to improve at conducting one-on-ones. You can then use a template for structuring one-on-one meetings and tailor it through trial and error to improve your skills. Informal feedback from team members may prove helpful in this scenario.
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You can also proactively address skill gaps by seeking training and development opportunities for managers. Find workshops, webinars, or courses explicitly focusing on the behaviors and qualities highlighted in Project Oxygen. This can be a strategic way to align personal development with the research findings.
- Manager assessment practices at your organization
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If your organization has established manager assessment practices, you can gain valuable insights into what your team thinks of you as a leader—your management style, strengths, and areas that require improvement. For instance, if feedback indicates a lack of clear communication, you can focus on improving this aspect.
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Without formalized assessment, you can gain insights through discussion and active listening. Understand what your team is trying to tell you. Ask questions like “Are you happy with the opportunities given to you, or would you like additional stretch opportunities?” This should help you assess directions for improving as a manager. You can use Google’s manager feedback form for more such questions.
The findings of Project Oxygen and the tools developed by Google based on these findings are a solid source of reference material for organizations and teams that want to improve.
In the next section, let’s look at another research project from Google: Project Aristotle.
Project Aristotle
In Chapter 1, we explored the findings of Project Aristotle, a research study that identified the key factors contributing to team effectiveness at Google. The study found that the five dynamics shown in Figure 4-3, were critical to building successful teams.
In that chapter, we examined these factors from the perspective of what makes a team effective and how to foster those attributes to build a high-performing team.
Now, let’s shift our focus to how managers can foster these same dynamics in their teams. As a manager, you play a crucial role in creating an environment that supports and nurtures these key factors of effectiveness.
Figure 4-3. Project Aristotle key dynamics
Psychological Safety
Recall from Chapter 1 that psychological safety refers to a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. It is the most critical factor in team effectiveness, as shown in the Project Aristotle research.
The idea of team psychological safety was first proposed by Amy Edmondson in her paper “Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams”. Edmondson defines team psychological safety as a “shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking.” She also talks about how this is different from “group cohesiveness.” Group cohesiveness is about getting along with each other as a group, while team psychological safety is about feeling safe to speak up and take risks in a team without being afraid of looking bad or hurting others’ feelings. It’s about getting along while being able to have open and honest discussions where everyone feels respected and trusted.
Cohesiveness in a team can reduce the willingness to disagree with fellow team members or to challenge others’ views. Psychological safety suggests that team members are neither too careless nor too optimistic when interacting with others on their team. This creates an environment where team members don’t fear embarrassment or outright rejection when speaking up; they feel comfortable asking even basic questions without worrying about being perceived as ignorant. There is a sense of mutual respect and trust among team members, allowing each person to be themselves.
Note
While psychological safety does not play a direct role in fulfilling customer requirements, it ensures that a team as a whole will take appropriate actions to accomplish its goals.
Some may argue that a few employees not speaking up could be just because they are too shy or introverted to stand up and articulate their views in front of a team. A study published in the Harvard Business Review shows that while indeed this personality perspective could be one of the reasons, the other reason, called the situational perspective, is more predominant. The situational perspective is where employees fail to speak up because they feel their work environment is not conducive to it. The study found that strong environmental norms could override the influence of personality on employees’ willingness to speak up at work.
For her study on the impact of team psychological safety on organizational learning and performance, Edmondson asked participants whether they agreed or disagreed with statements such as “If you make a mistake on this team, it is often held against you,” and “No one on this team would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts.” As an example of a practical application of this research, Google held workshops where they role-played scenarios to illustrate behaviors that can support and harm psychological safety. These workshops helped people understand that we usually try to protect ourselves by refusing to behave in a way that could negatively influence how others perceive our competence, awareness, and positivity. However, this behavior is detrimental to effective teamwork. The safer team members feel with one another, the more likely they are to admit mistakes, partner, and take on new roles.
Managers who want to foster psychological safety in their teams must understand that doing so does not mean relaxing performance standards. You cannot allow inappropriate conduct just to ensure team members feel safe. Performance standards and psychological safety must both be high for people to speak up and voice concerns. Here are a few steps managers can take to promote psychological safety in their teams:
- Approach conflict as a collaborator, not an adversary
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Look at conflicts optimistically as opportunities for growth and learning. Conflicts need not turn into confrontations. Instead of taking sides or assigning blame, managers should facilitate open and respectful discussions where all parties involved can express their perspectives. They should encourage the team to focus on the shared goal of finding a resolution and promoting understanding.
- Speak human to human
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Effective communication is crucial for establishing psychological safety. Managers should strive to communicate with their team members in a relatable and empathetic manner. This means avoiding jargon or overly formal language and using clear, concise, and inclusive communication styles. By speaking human to human, managers can foster connections, build trust, and create an environment where individuals feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and concerns.
- Anticipate reactions and plan countermoves
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Managers should proactively anticipate potential reactions or resistance from team members, especially when discussing sensitive or challenging topics. By considering different perspectives and possible reactions in advance, managers can better prepare their responses and address concerns or fears in a supportive and understanding manner. This proactive approach demonstrates that managers are attentive and empathetic, contributing to a culture of psychological safety.
- Replace blame with curiosity
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Instead of assigning blame when mistakes occur or something goes wrong, managers should cultivate a culture of curiosity. They can encourage team members to explore the underlying reasons, contributing factors, and lessons learned from a situation. This shift in mindset from blame to curiosity helps create an environment where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth and learning rather than reasons for punishment or shame.
- Ask for feedback on delivery
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Managers should actively seek feedback from their team members regarding their communication and leadership styles. By asking for feedback on how they deliver messages, managers demonstrate their openness to improvement and commitment to creating a psychologically safe environment. This feedback loop allows managers to understand how their communication may impact team members and to make adjustments accordingly.
- Measure psychological safety
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It is essential for managers to regularly assess and measure the level of psychological safety within their teams. This can be done through anonymous surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one conversations. By collecting feedback, managers gain insights into areas that need improvement and can take targeted actions to enhance psychological safety. Regular measurement also demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and reinforces the importance of psychological safety as a team value.
Managers looking to reinforce psychological safety and interpersonal relations in their teams can also use or tailor Google’s guide for managers.
Dependability
For a team to accomplish more than an individual would, teammates should be able to trust each other and work together. Dependability within a team is high if the team members can count on each other in various respects. Dependability fosters trust. Team members should be able to rely on each other and their leaders to do the right thing.
Something as simple as being punctual to team meetings could imply dependability. One person not being on time can lead to frustration for the entire team. Moreover, others might become callous about punctuality if they think being late is OK.
While it’s not easy to identify a dependable team member at first glance, every small action can contribute to your reputation as a reliable or unreliable person. Dependable team members and leaders demonstrate some essential qualities such as these:
- Genuine intentions
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A dependable team member has a solid ethical foundation, because of which their intentions are genuine. They prioritize the team’s collective goals over personal ambitions and demonstrate a commitment to acting in the best interests of the team and its members. They are driven by a sense of integrity, honesty, and fairness, which fosters trust and confidence among their colleagues.
- Accountability
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Accountability is a fundamental quality of a dependable team member. They take ownership of their assigned tasks and demonstrate responsibility for their actions and outcomes. They understand the importance of meeting deadlines, fulfilling commitments, and delivering high-quality work. A responsible team member takes initiative, proactively addresses challenges, and seeks solutions to problems, contributing to the team’s overall success.
- Sound thinking
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Dependable team members demonstrate sound thinking involving critical and analytical reasoning. They approach problems and decision making with a logical and thoughtful mindset. They consider relevant information, evaluate different perspectives, and weigh the potential consequences before making informed choices. Sound thinking allows team members to contribute valuable insights and make reliable decisions that impact the team’s objectives positively.
- Consistent contribution
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Dependable team members consistently contribute to the team’s efforts. They actively participate in team discussions, meetings, and projects, offering their ideas and insights. They consistently deliver their work at a high standard and meet established deadlines. They are reliable and can be counted on to fulfill their commitments, strengthening the team’s overall performance and trust in their capabilities.
As a manager, you are responsible for dependability within your team and the perceived dependability of your team for external stakeholders. In this regard, it’s important to ask yourself the following questions:
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As a leader, do you set the tone for which behaviors are desirable within the team?
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Do other teams or internal and external stakeholders count on your team to meet commitments and deadlines?
Fostering dependability within the team can also ease the way to meeting deadlines and commitments. Even though it’s an individual quality, you can take the following steps to foster dependability within your teams:
- Lead by example
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Managers and team leaders should model dependability in their own actions and behaviors. Leaders set a standard for dependability that inspires the team to do the same by consistently meeting their commitments, following through on promises, and being transparent about challenges.
- Promote collaboration and interdependence
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Emphasize the importance of teamwork and interdependence within the team. Encourage collaboration, where team members support and assist each other to meet shared goals. This fosters a sense of collective responsibility and reinforces the notion that dependability is a team effort.
- Clearly define roles and expectations
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Clearly communicate individual roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations within the team. When team members clearly understand their tasks and what is expected of them, it promotes a sense of accountability and enables them to prioritize their work effectively.
- Encourage open communication
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Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable discussing their workload, challenges, and potential bottlenecks. Encouraging open communication allows individuals to proactively address any issues or seek support when needed, ensuring that deadlines and commitments can be met.
- Provide supportive feedback
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Give team members constructive feedback on their performance, highlighting their strengths and areas for improvement related to dependability. Encourage them to set personal goals for enhancing their dependability, and offer resources and guidance to support their development.
Dependability is vital to team effectiveness, as it builds trust, improves collaboration, and drives productivity. By clearly defining roles, encouraging open communication, providing supportive feedback, promoting collaboration, and leading by example, teams can foster a culture of dependability, leading to enhanced outcomes and success.
Structure and Clarity
One of the overall conclusions of Project Aristotle is that “at Google, who is on a team matters much less than how team members interact, structure their work, and view their contributions.” Establishing a structure is essential for team members to understand what is expected of them. At the same time, clarity on goals and plans helps them work in the right direction. Team members should be clear about the overall structure and process and where they fit in it.
Clarity on structure and individual roles has become even more critical in the post-COVID world, which has seen a lot of volatility in organizations and where hybrid and remote work have become common. When engineers know who is working on which part of a project and what is expected from them, they can proceed independently and in the right direction without frequently checking in with others. On the other hand, ambiguity in structure and individual responsibilities can create stress and confusion.
Objectives and key results (OKRs)
In Chapter 2, I introduced how OKRs are a framework used by Google and many other organizations to establish clarity and alignment around goals. OKRs help create structure and process by defining what needs to be achieved and how success will be measured.
In Chapter 3, we touched on OKRs again in the context of communicating team goals and ensuring everyone understands how their work contributes to the bigger picture. Now, let’s dive a bit deeper into how OKRs can be used to drive alignment between team and organizational objectives.
At Google, teams are encouraged to first align their OKRs with the company’s overarching goals. While not every organizational OKR needs to be directly linked to a team OKR, there should be a clear connection between each team’s objectives and at least one higher-level company objective. This ensures that the work of each team is contributing to the organization’s most important priorities.
When setting their quarterly OKRs, Google teams start by identifying the key results that would have the greatest impact on advancing the relevant organizational OKRs. These become the team’s top priorities for the quarter, with the rationale being that achieving these results will move the needle on the company’s objectives.
OKRs should be revisited and reviewed a few times per quarter. While this is not compulsory, OKRs can serve as a calibration tool, helping team members adjust to new information, abandon objectives that are clearly not achievable, and increase attention to borderline objectives that will benefit from additional resources. Having well-implemented OKRs can be an effective way to clarify goals at every level in the organization.
RACI matrix
Another popular framework that helps bring structure and clarity to assigning responsibilities to various roles is the responsibility assignment matrix, also known as the RACI matrix. It’s a simple grid system that you can use to clarify people’s responsibilities and ensure that everything the team needs to do is taken care of. The acronym RACI stands for:
- Responsible
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People who do the work
- Accountable
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The person who owns the work to be done
- Consulted
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People who should review the work and give feedback
- Informed
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People who need to be kept in the loop
When using this model to assign responsibilities, you need to identify the roles who will be responsible, accountable, consulted, or informed for different tasks or deliverables in the project. For example, Table 4-1 shows the RACI matrix for two deliverables.
| Deliverable | Responsible | Accountable | Consulted | Informed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design document | Solution architect | Project manager | Team leaders | Developers |
| Code | Developers | Project manager | Team leaders | Testers |
Meaning
Finding meaning at the workplace refers to experiencing a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and progress at work. Meaning can mean different things to different people. For an engineer, it could simply mean indulging a passion for coding or finding issues. It could also mean achieving a personal goal such as financial security, supporting family, or being part of something that can make a difference to society.
When team members find their work meaningful and experience a sense of purpose, they bring their best selves to work and use their greatest strengths to help the organization flourish. They feel connected to their work at a deeper level and are motivated to think creatively and share ideas. When they are driven by a purpose, a project or task becomes more than something that just needs to be completed: they want it to be a job well done. Team members are also more likely to readily embrace change if they believe that it is for the greater good of the team.
Purpose and meaning may seem like superficial terms at times. How do you even begin helping team members find their purpose? Motivational talks might fall flat. It’s important to note that people find meaning at work when they know that their contributions matter. Helping people find meaning at work is about finding a relatable story that helps them realize that they love what they do.
As a manager, you can help them find their story and enhance their connection to their work. Every team member is different, and their motivations will likely differ. Your task is to help them customize their journey. Some things you can give team members to help them achieve this are as follows:
- Positive feedback and recognition
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Employees want to feel appreciated and valued for their work. Managers can create a sense of purpose by providing regular feedback and recognition, both formal and informal. This can be done through one-on-one meetings, team meetings, and public recognition.
- Strong support
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Creating a positive and supportive work environment helps employees feel valued and respected, leading to a stronger sense of purpose. Employees want to feel connected to their colleagues and their managers. Managers can help create strong relationships by being approachable and supportive, creating opportunities for team building, and celebrating successes together.
Impact
When people realize the true impact of their work, they’re more engaged, innovative, and productive. Research shows that working on significant tasks can have a positive impact on job performance. When people know that their work matters, it creates momentum; people feel valued when their work is recognized. If no one notices their work, they might just stop caring for it and go lax in their execution of tasks.
Even when your team is a small part of a large organization, it is essential that your team members feel connected to the organization’s goals through their work. They need to know that even the smallest tasks they work on help to shift an entire ecosystem forward. Part of your role as a leader is to help team members identify how they drive impact within and beyond the team.
As a manager, there are several steps you can take to help them understand why a project is essential and why they are a relevant part of the team. Even before joining an organization or a team, people may ask, “Why are you hiring me? What is expected from me? Why my role?” As a leader, you should be ready with an answer to these questions for every individual on your team at all times. Here are a few things you can highlight to help your team understand this better:
- Connection to organization objectives
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Managers should go beyond simply assigning tasks and provide a clear connection between the organization’s objectives and each team member’s work. By explaining how their contributions align with the organization’s broader purpose, managers help team members understand the significance of their roles. When employees recognize the impact their work has on achieving organizational goals, they feel a sense of purpose and are more motivated to perform at their best.
- Working toward a team vision
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Managers can facilitate a collaborative process where your team co-creates a clear vision. Managers can foster a sense of ownership and commitment by involving team members in shaping the team’s strategy with a focus on individual contribution. When team members have a shared vision, it becomes easier for them to see how their individual tasks contribute to the larger picture. This alignment promotes a sense of unity and collective effort, enhancing motivation and engagement.
- Understanding the impact on clients and users
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Team members want to know that their work will make a positive difference in their clients’ or end users’ lives. If you cannot justify how a specific task enhances the experience or quality of a product or service, then it is likely that the team won’t be so keen on doing it. Managers should regularly share success stories, customer feedback, or testimonials to highlight the real-world impact of their team’s work.
- Linking performance to outcomes
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Managers can establish a clear connection between individual and team performance and the outcomes they have achieved. OKRs help managers create a framework for tracking progress and success. Regularly reviewing and discussing performance metrics with team members helps them understand the direct impact of their efforts and fosters a results-driven mindset.
By employing these strategies, managers can help their teams gain a deeper understanding of the impact of their work. When team members have a clear sense of purpose, connection to organizational objectives, and awareness of the positive change they are making, they are more engaged, motivated, and invested in achieving shared goals.
Outcomes
Project Aristotle taught us that building human bonds rooted in empathy and conversational turn-taking was crucial to the psychological safety of the team and its success. Teams want to feel that their work is more than just labor. Project Aristotle encouraged conversations and discussions among people who might otherwise be uncomfortable sharing their feelings. Project Aristotle’s results show us that in their bid to improve productivity and efficiency, leaders might end up missing cues about team members who feel excluded or uncomfortable expressing themselves.
To utilize the findings of Project Aristotle effectively, Google created a tool called the gTeams exercise, which I’ll discuss in the next section.
Leveraging Project Aristotle’s Findings
Just as Google created practices based on Project Oxygen to develop great managers, they also established a tool called the gTeams exercise to help teams strengthen the five dynamics uncovered by Project Aristotle.
The exercise starts with team members taking a 10-minute survey on how the team is doing in the five areas. The team then holds an in-person conversation to discuss the results and access resources to help it improve. Google teams that committed to regular practices to reinforce the dynamics, like starting meetings with casual chats to increase psychological safety, saw measurable improvement.
Over the years, thousands of Googlers across different teams have used this tool. Teams that adopted a new group norm—like kicking off every team meeting with informal chitchat about weekend plans—improved by 6% on psychological safety ratings and 10% on the structure and clarity ratings. A proven framework for team effectiveness has helped many teams improve their effectiveness.
While the gTeams exercise is a Google-specific tool, the concept is highly applicable to any team. Consider creating a simple survey for your own team to assess how you’re doing on the five dynamics. Use the results to have an open discussion and identify practices to embed these factors into your team culture. Regular measurement will show you the impact over time.
With an understanding of Project Aristotle’s findings, you now have a proven framework to evaluate and enhance your team’s effectiveness, in addition to growing your own management skills.
Conclusion
Most of the findings of Project Oxygen and Project Aristotle may appear like common sense in retrospect. The significance of these projects lies in the extensive research conducted at Google and the data collected to support these findings. The research revealed the things that we should be doing deliberately, and the findings can more or less be universally applied in different workplaces. Although the research was done at Google, which is not a typical company in regard to global scale and resources, many findings can be adapted for your own practices, your own team, and your own organization.
Google’s continued research has helped the company to understand the benefits of different practices that were implemented as a result of these projects and improvise as required. Your organization and team can also benefit by identifying which of these findings is relevant to you and tailoring your processes accordingly, one step at a time. Common sense or not, leaders must act on these findings and make them common practice within their teams and organizations to bring about a positive and measurable difference in their effectiveness.
In the next chapter, we will continue focusing on research, but this time of a different variety. So far, we have discussed the patterns you should implement for success; we will next talk about antipatterns that you should avoid to prevent failure.
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