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In this episode of Do Good to Lead Well, Craig Dowden sits down with Colin Fisher, author of The Collective Edge, to discuss what makes teams truly effective. Learn about the ideal team size, why social sensitivity matters more than raw intelligence, and practical strategies for building trust and collaboration in remote and hybrid teams. Whether you’re leading a team or part of one, these insights will help you unlock the secret power of groups.
Why Understanding Group Dynamics and Positive Leadership Unlocks True Team Success
If you’ve ever wondered why some teams click and perform brilliantly while others just seem stuck, you’re not alone. The secret often lies in understanding group dynamics and mastering positive leadership, the art and science of how people work together effectively. In today’s fast-changing work environment, where collaboration across teams, cultures, and locations is the norm, knowing how to harness the power of groups can be a game-changer.
That’s where Colin Fisher comes in. An associate professor at University College London’s School of Management, Colin brings a fascinating perspective shaped by his unique background as a jazz trumpet player and a leading organizational psychologist. His upcoming book, The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups by Colin Fisher, dives deep into what makes groups more than just a collection of individuals. It reveals how teams can unlock collective intelligence, boost creativity, and improve performance through thoughtful leadership and scientifically backed practices.
We’ll explore Colin’s insights on key factors like social sensitivity, the ideal team size, crafting the right team composition, building trust, and overcoming the unique challenges of remote and hybrid work. Whether you’re a leader, a team member, or simply curious about leadership and collaboration, you’ll find actionable strategies grounded in research that can help you build and lead more effective teams. Understanding these principles is about transforming how we connect, cooperate, and thrive together in any group setting.
What Makes an Effective Team? The Magic Number and Social Sensitivity
When it comes to team performance, size really does matter. Research shows that the ideal team size for getting work done efficiently and effectively falls between three and seven members, with the sweet spot hugging around four or five people. Colin Fisher highlights this in his discussion on group dynamics, emphasizing that this range optimizes both task execution and interpersonal connection.
Why this specific range? Larger teams face what experts call “process losses.” Simply put, the bigger the group, the more complicated it becomes to coordinate everyone's efforts. Imagine trying to orchestrate a project with 10 or 20 people, the communication overhead skyrockets, decisions take longer, and individuals might end up duplicating work or pulling in different directions. On top of this, larger teams suffer from “social loafing,” a subtle but powerful phenomenon where individuals unconsciously exert less effort because responsibility feels diluted. In smaller teams, everyone’s effort is visible and accountable, naturally encouraging higher engagement.
Beyond size, there is a less obvious but equally vital factor influencing team success: social sensitivity. This concept refers to a team's collective ability to intuitively read and understand what others are thinking and feeling through nonverbal cues. It’s about catching those subtle signs (if someone is frustrated, excited, or confused) without them having to explicitly say it. According to research led by Anita Woolley and her colleagues at Carnegie Mellon, teams with high social sensitivity demonstrate higher “collective intelligence.” These teams don’t just perform well on one task; they tend to excel across a variety of challenges.
It’s important to differentiate social sensitivity from empathy, though the two overlap. While empathy involves understanding and sharing another’s feelings, social sensitivity is more about accurately decoding emotions and social signals, which directly impacts how well a team communicates and coordinates.
So, what does this mean for leaders and team members? When building or managing teams, the focus should not only be on hiring the smartest or most skilled individuals but also on fostering and selecting for social sensitivity. This involves encouraging behaviors where team members pay close attention to each other’s nonverbal signals and create an environment where unspoken feelings can be recognized and addressed before they undermine collaboration.
Remote and Hybrid Teams: Navigating Challenges and Leveraging Opportunities
Remote and hybrid work setups have become common, but they come with unique challenges for teamwork. One of the biggest hurdles is the reduction of nonverbal cues. When you work together in person, you naturally pick up on body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These help you understand how someone’s feeling or how engaged they are. Over video calls or chats, much of that subtle communication gets lost. This makes it harder to “read the room” and coordinate smoothly.
Another challenge is something called psychological distance, which often grows with physical distance. The farther apart team members are, the more abstract and impersonal others can seem. When you see someone in real life it feels human. When you’re just heads in boxes on a screen, it’s easy to start treating others more like objects or tasks instead of people with feelings and ideas. This can weaken connection, trust, and collaboration.
But don’t worry, there are simple, practical steps you can take to close this psychological gap and boost social sensitivity in your remote or hybrid teams. Here’s how you can start making changes today:
1. Make Time for Human Connection Before Work Starts
Set aside 5 to 10 minutes at the start of virtual meetings for informal catch-ups. Encourage team members to share something personal or fun. This isn’t wasted time. It builds the social glue that helps teams work better together. If possible, show your real surroundings with video on, even if it’s just a casual corner of your home or a pet in the background. These little glimpses create warmth and remind everyone there’s a real person behind the screen.
2. Use Creative “Show and Tell” Moments
Invite a team member to bring something to the meeting that others might not know about them. These moments spark curiosity and deepen understanding, helping team members relate beyond just work tasks.
3. Be Intentional About Checking In Beyond Work Tasks
Regularly ask your team how they’re doing, not just how the project is progressing. Use one-on-one calls or quick group check-ins to acknowledge challenges, celebrate wins, or just listen. Leaders especially should model emotional openness to create a psychologically safe space where people feel comfortable sharing honestly.
4. Clarify Goals and Roles Often
Because remote work can blur communication, it’s important to explicitly restate what the team is aiming for in every meeting or project phase. Make sure everyone knows their role and responsibilities.
5. Encourage Questions and Active Listening
In virtual meetings, misunderstandings are easy, so encourage your team to ask clarifying questions and listen fully before responding. This builds a culture of curiosity and engagement, which heightens social sensitivity even from a distance.
6. Mix Up Communication Channels
Don’t rely only on video calls. Use a mix of messaging apps, collaborative documents, and occasional phone calls. Some people express themselves better in writing, others vocally. Offering multiple ways to connect helps everyone feel heard.
7. Schedule Virtual Social Events
Consider virtual coffee breaks, games, or trivia sessions to inject some fun. While these don’t replace in-person bonding entirely, they create informal opportunities to build rapport and trust.
By applying these steps, remote and hybrid teams can overcome the natural barriers of distance and digital communication. The goal is to treat one another as full human beings which is essential for collaboration, trust, and ultimately better team performance. Next time you lead or join a virtual meeting, remember: building connection is as important as covering the agenda. It’s the key to unlocking your team’s collective edge.
Key Takeaways: Essential Insights on Effective Teamwork, Leadership, and Group Dynamics for High-Performing Teams
- Groups are more than the sum of their individual members.
- Optimal team size is between 3 to 7 members, ideally around 4 to 5.
- Larger groups suffer from coordination costs and social loafing, reducing effectiveness.
- Social sensitivity, the ability to read nonverbal cues, is the strongest predictor of team performance.
- Successful teams combine relevant skills, social sensitivity, and intrinsic motivation in members.
- Trust and task performance build together; trust emerges through doing real work together.
- Effective team building stays close to the task, using simulations rather than unrelated retreats.
- Remote work challenges social sensitivity due to reduced nonverbal cues and increases psychological distance.
- Clear, shared, and regularly revisited goals are essential to avoid misalignment and conflict.
Ready to take group dynamics to the next level?
- To get practical tools and actionable tips that will jumpstart your journey, download the Group Dynamics Kick Starter Booklet here.
- Join the newsletter to be notified when a new episode is ready for you to listen and get every Kick Starter Booklet for all future episodes.
- And if you’re looking to elevate your entire C-Suite leadership team, learn how Craig Dowden can help your leaders perform at their highest-level visit https://www.craigdowden.com/executive-mastermind
- For a deeper dive, listen to the full-length episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast featuring Colin Fisher:
Did you like this article on group dynamics? Does it help you become a better leader? Then check out these articles to help hone those skills even further:
- Noticing and Hearing in the Workplace: The Importance of Noticing and Hearing in the Workplace with Zach Mercurio
- Leading with Purpose: Core Qualities and Practices for Positive, Inclusive Leadership with Angela Bonfanti
- Leadership in Uncertain Times with Elizabeth Weingarten: How Questions, Vulnerability, and Community Fuel Leadership in Uncertain Times with Elizabeth Weingarten
- Positive Leadership for Innovation and Resilience with Jason Tham: Leading with Authenticity, Agility, and Purpose in a Fast-Changing World
- AI Therapy: Lessons on Vulnerability and Listening: Why Leaders Should Create Judgment-Free Zones Like AI Therapy: Lessons on Vulnerability and Listening
- Lead your team or company in the future with ethical AI practices: AI Driven Leadership Strategies for the Future with Geoff Woods
- Create an environment for Meaningful Work: Exploring the Science and Practice of Meaningful Work with Wes Adams and Tamara Myles
- Reveal and fill blindspots in your daily professional life: Seeing with New Eyes: Martin Dubin on Leadership, Self-Awareness, and Blindspotting
Craig Dowden
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