“Interpersonal skills have always been important in working successfully in groups within organizations, but these findings indicate they will continue to be important—perhaps even more important—in the electronically connected future.”
Professor Thomas Malone, MIT
I enjoy seeing scientific research supporting my message, which is that soft skills within teams. is what makes them succeed. This research from MIT, demonstrated a group's intelligence is not about the number of smart people you have. Its about the ability of the team members to read each other's emotions. This is what the study called social perceptiveness. By the way, turns out the social perceptiveness was higher in groups with higher percentage of women.
Another study from Harvard shows that what makes great team players, or those people who seem to make every team they join succeed, are not those who are more proficient. The research shows great team players are able to read and react to their teammates’ emotional states, and to adjust their own behavior accordingly. Per the study "Social skills predict group performance about as well as IQ."
What to do now?
Evaluate what makes your team great. How is the social perceptiveness among your team members?
How is yours? Are you too focused on getting the work done? Do you roll your eyes when they complain or are you curious about their feelings? Are you asking questions to uncover what is driving their emotional state?
If you need some coaching to enhance your team's social skills, I'll be happy to help. Check out these resources.
