A friend sent me a book – Team Talk, by Anne Donnellon – that inspired me to create a diagnostic tool based on Donnellon’s research for cross-functional teams to rate themselves on their collaborative strengths based on their communication styles. 

Donnellon’s basic insight is that you can predict how teams will succeed or fail by how they talk about themselves.   Teams that argue more, and work to true collaboration, rather than shutting up to get along, or pulling rank, are more likely to accomplish great things.  

The higher you rate on this simple diagnostic, the more likely your team is to succeed – and the reverse is also true. 

It’s a quick, easy test to take — just 6 questions.  Take it today to see where your team’s strengths and weaknesses lie.

1. Identification.  Do your teammates identify themselves more with the functional area they came from, or the team itself?  Rate your team on a scale of 5, with 5 meaning ‘identifies with the team’ and 1 means ‘identifies with the functional area they came from’.

2. Interdependence.  Do your teammates take unilateral action, or do they work with the team to get things done?  Rate your team, with 5 meaning ‘works with the team to get things done’, and 1 means ‘takes unilateral action’.

3. Power.   Do your teammates pull rank, or argue based on merit?  Rate your team, with 5 meaning ‘argues positions based on merit’, and 1 means ‘pulls rank’. 

4. Social distance.   Here’s where the chit-chat and small talk is important.  Rate your team, with 5 meaning ‘lots of social connections among teammates’, to 1 meaning ‘no social interaction’. 

5. Conflict management tactics.  Do your teammates force some issues, and avoid others, or do they confront and collaborate?  If your team mostly confronts and collaborate, rate yourself a 5.  If the team mostly forces and avoids, rate yourself a 1. 

6. Negotiation.  Rate the negotiations that go on within the team.  If they’re mostly win-win, rate yourself a 5.  If they’re mostly win-lose, a 1. 

The score. 

24 – 30: You’ve got a highly collaborative team, and you’re likely to pull off win after win.

23 – 18: Your team is moderately collaborative, and is likely to be distinctly average. 

18 or less:  Your team is likely to underachieve. 

I’m fascinated by the connection between how a team talks – its communication style – and how well it succeeds.  Let me know how you get on, and what your results are.  Is the diagnostic helpful?