In an era of increasing competition and constant change in the market, building teams that not only work together, but achieve spectacular results, has become one of the key elements for the success of any organization. The groundbreaking Project Aristotle study, launched by Google in 2012, proved that the decisive factor in successful collaboration is not just individual talent, but above all a sense of psychological security. This belief that no one will be punished for a mistake enables open communication and creative approaches to problem solving, which is the foundation for creating innovative and crisis-proof teams.
Psychological safety and the role of the leader
Psychological security is just the beginning of the road to achieving full synergy. The role of the leader in this process cannot be overestimated. Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace” research indicates that as many as 70-75% of employees resign because of the wrong manager – not about pay or overtime, but about lack of support, inadequate communication and unclearly defined expectations. A leader who can be a mentor and translator of company strategy at the same time, enables employees to develop their own initiative, builds trust through regular 1:1 meetings, and puts a premium on team autonomy. Only then is it possible to create an environment in which everyone feels part of a larger whole.
In 2025 at technology companies and software houses, the issue of psychological safety takes on a special dimension. In a rapidly changing environment, where the development of AI technologies goes hand in hand with the growing popularity of no-code and low-code tools, employees often feel the fear of losing their jobs or having their skills depreciated. These fears can result in increased resistance to making necessary changes, further complicating the process of adapting new technologies. Therefore, leaders in the technology industry must not only communicate a strategy, but also proactively build a sense of security to enable an open exchange of concerns and support the development of competencies in the face of change.
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Problems in team management
Lack of clearly defined goals means that employees don’t know what they are responsible for, which lowers their commitment. Insufficient feedback only exacerbates these problems, underscoring the need for open and constructive communication. According to a Harvard Business Review study, as many as 72% of employees believe their efficiency would increase with more frequent feedback. In the context of software companies, where the pace of technological change can be extremely fast, the added stress of the possibility of human competence being replaced by automation tools means that resistance to change can be even stronger.
Framework of procedures and KPIs
To prevent such occurrences, it is essential to put in place a system based on precisely defined procedures and key performance indicators (KPIs). A Project Aristotle study showed that the most effective teams have clearly defined roles and know how their daily activities affect the entire organization. Every employee should know 3-5 KPIs that measure their work. For example, in the customer service department, these could be call response time, satisfaction levels as measured by NPS, or the number of cases resolved without escalation. In addition, the development of operating procedures – documented in tools such as Confluence or Notion – provides a kind of “operating manual” to maintain the consistency and quality of processes. This can be inspired by the Standardized Work system implemented by Toyota, which has helped reduce errors by 70%. It is also worth thinking about automating routine tasks using tools such as Zapier, which further streamlines the team’s work.
Motivation and cooperation between departments
Motivation and reward also play a key role. Linking bonuses to the achievement of team KPIs and rewarding individual initiatives not only helps to recognize efforts, but also builds a culture of collaboration that counters destructive rivalry. The 2021 Microsoft Work Trend Index survey reveals that 43% of employees believe that interdepartmental rivalry hinders their work, and that companies that promote collaboration generate 30% more revenue. To break down silos and promote common goals, it makes sense to implement initiatives that link different departments – for example, the goal of increasing customer retention by 15%, which requires marketing, IT and customer service to work together. Inter-team rotations, as implemented by Adobe, where employees spend 10% of their time in other departments, can also be practical, allowing for a better understanding of the organization as a whole, and communication tools such as Slack allow for channels to connect different teams.
Teamwork vs. organizational inefficiency
In any organization, areas of organizational inefficiency can be identified. Most often, this is related to allocating time and money to operational tasks that do not bring the company closer to achieving its strategic goals. It is estimated that about 20% of the activities in any company are redundant.
The law of marginal gains is based on the idea of gradually eliminating the smallest inefficiencies. Through continuous process improvement, even small improvements (e.g., by 1% each week) accumulate, generating significant results over the long term. An operations team that captures and eliminates these minor wastes of time, resources or energy can increase productivity.
An effective team using artificial intelligence tools is a necessity in the modern business world. An independent team is the real value of any business that can operate without its owner. Investing in the development of managerial competencies, implementing transparent KPIs, and creating a culture based on collaboration and transparency are key elements to achieve common goals. Building a team should start with a competent leader who gives a sense of both security and decision-making.
