‘Tipping Point’ author Malcolm Gladwell is back with a new book and an essential insight for anyone who wants to build a successful team.
Read the article and decide if the sentences below are true or false:
1. High-performing teams are created by simply gathering the best individual performers.
2. Malcolm Gladwell’s book suggests that diverse viewpoints are beneficial for teams.
3. The research by Rosabeth Kanter found that women in a sales team were not performing well due to a hostile work environment.
4. The ‘magic third’ refers to the idea that a certain proportion of newcomers is needed for them to feel comfortable.
5. According to Gladwell, having one person from a minority background is sufficient for team diversity.
6. The concept of the ‘magic third’ applies only to women and ethnic minorities.
7. Successful teams require a mix of perspectives from the beginning.
Key: 1. F; 2. T; 3. F; 4. T; 5. F; 6. F; 7. T
Glossary
- to dub – give an unofficial name or nickname to
- be at pains – to try hard (to do something)
Practice makes perfect
Match the words in bold to their synonyms below:
(…) Fostering Trust: The Bedrock Of Team Effectiveness
Team effectiveness thrives on the bedrock of trust, meticulously cultivated through transparent leadership and consistent actions. Leading by example, keeping promises and creating a space for risk-taking are crucial elements in fostering this essential trust. Envision a scenario where psychological safety permeates the team, providing fertile ground for unconventional ideas to flourish. This atmosphere can cultivate trust and serve as a breeding ground for innovative solutions that can surpass expectations.
Furthermore, it sets clear expectations, boundaries and acceptable ‘failures’ as part of the organizational culture. For team effectiveness, trust is not merely a foundation but the very fabric that enables collaboration, embraces vulnerability and fuels creativity—a reciprocal relationship built on the pillars of openness and reliability. (…)
a) infuse f) precisely
b) sensitivity g) only
c) cultivate h) exceed
d) basis i) flourish
e) visualize
In order to read the whole article, go to: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2024/02/06/maximizing-organization-success-through-team-effectiveness/
Key: bedrock – d) basis; thrive – i) flourish; meticulously – f) precisely; foster- c) cultivate; Envision – e) visualize; permeates – a) infuse; surpass – h) exceed; merely – only; vulnerability – sensitivity
Complete the gaps in the dialogue with the words in bold below:
envisions surpassed cultivate thrive
flourishing permeates vulnerability at pains
Sarah: Have you noticed how this team has really been 1. ………….. lately?
Ben: Yeah, I know. It’s amazing to see.
Sarah: Do you think it’s because of the new manager?
Ben: Maybe. I think it has more to do with his ability to 2. ……….. a supportive and positive environment within the team.
Sarah: Yeah, he seems to be 3. …………… to foster strong relationships between team members.
Ben: And he always 4. ……………. success for our team as a whole, rather than just focusing on individual achievements.
Sarah: Definitely. You can see that his attitude 5. ………….. through the entire team.
Ben: And our results have 6. ………….. all expectations since he joined us.
Sarah: It’s not just about work either, he embraces 7. ………….. and encourages open communication in the team.
Ben: That’s so important for any team to 8. ……….. . And we’ve definitely become a stronger and more cohesive unit because of it.
Sarah: Agreed. And I think we owe it all to our manager’s leadership and management skills.
Key: 1. flourishing; 2. cultivate; 3. at pains; 4. envisions; 5. permeates; 6. surpassed; 7. vulnerability; 8. thrive
Watch and revise!
The Secrets to Building a Thriving Team:
Insights from Malcolm Gladwell
https://www.cloud.worldwideschool.pl/index.php/s/tYdMEPGjJRa5dEn
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