The Way We Work Together

“Superteams

 

By Ron Friedman

 

Simon & Schuster, 352 pages, $30

 

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, many leaders claimed that effective teamwork required remote workers to return to their cubicles. Ron Friedman begs to differ.

 

In "Superteams," the social psychologist reports that high-performing teams are as likely to work well at home as in the office. "Far more important than where a team works is how it works," he declares. What makes a great team? Mr. Friedman sought the answer by interviewing more than 6,000 professionals who say their teams are tops to find out what they do differently from the rest. He found that the members of these teams get more done, make one another better and are constantly improving.

 

These aren't earthshaking revelations, but some of the habits of the best teams are counterintuitive. The members of high-performing teams say they spend more time working alone and uninterrupted than the members of average teams: 106 minutes at a time versus 77 minutes. Yet they also respond to one another more quickly than the members of average teams. Mr. Friedman says this "collaborative focus" is predicated on "striking the right balance between focused individual work and purposeful collaboration."

 

Success stems from a team's ability to control its own time. Mr. Friedman's superteams are 50% more likely to avoid meetings than average teams. They are 68% more likely to block out time for thinking and 50% more likely to consciously track their time.

 

Mr. Friedman backs up his findings with ideas for improving the work environment. Many are borrowed from other thinkers -- Stephen Covey on time management, Bob Sutton on shutting down bullies, Amy Edmondson on psychological safety -- but all are practical.

 

It is worth remembering that the book's insights derive from self-reported data. Mr. Friedman cites research that "people's belief about their team's ability is one of the best predictors of a team's actual performance," yet there is still potential for bias. Nonetheless, "Superteams" is a valuable guide for teams and managers seeking to improve performance.

 

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Mr. Kinni is a business writer based in South Carolina.

 

(See related article: "Encoded For Success All-Around" -- WSJ July 25, 2026)” [1]

 

1. REVIEW --- Books -- Shortcuts: Business: The Way We Work Together. Kinni, Theodore.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 25 July 2026: C9.