“Talent helps you win a game. Intelligence and teamwork helps you win a championship.”
– Michael Jordan
Social interaction measures the quality of the connections within our team; it is the only pillar that represents one of mankind’s primary needs.
Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs
As we see in Maslow’s Pyramid, immediately after the needs related to survival, ie. physiological (eating, drinking, sleeping) and safety (health, physical safety), we find the needs of affection and belonging.
“The sense of belonging develops when there is a reciprocal affect between believing oneself belongs to a group and the group belongs to oneself”.
Social interaction is closely linked to two variables: trust and leadership. Now we will see how the two components influence group dynamics.
The Circle of Security
Simon Sinek explains what he learned about team dynamics from Marines training.
“When a young recruit enlists, insecurity, regret, and loneliness take the upper hand. She dedicates the first few weeks to show she can do it, to stand up to the challenges, to be strong enough.
Marine training is designed to make it impossible to complete alone. The training aims to make it clear to the recruits that their success depends on other people. And if they do not help others, nobody will help them.
When the recruits realize this and begin to help each other, support each other, cheer for the triumphs of their companions, and collaborate, something in the group dynamics changes dramatically. Some will come to risk their own life for that of their companion. When they are asked ‘why’, they all respond in the same way: “Because she would have done the same for me“.”
This is what is called the “Security Circle”: the profound certainty of being able to fully trust their group.
There is no specific characteristic required in the recruits that are enrolled (or in the members that make up your team) to create this level of trust. It is a dynamic that is created when the leadership instills a deep sense of security in individuals and the belief that the success of the individual depends on his team.
How much do you trust your team? And how much does your team trust you?