Lesson 2: Reduce Team Drag | Martin Gonzalez

In Formula 1 racing, pit crews must work at breakneck speed. To perform the required maintenance in as little as two seconds, over 20 mechanics are involved. Execution with such precision requires rigorous training and choreography. Like F1 teams, Google DeepMind’s Org Development Lead Martin Gonzalez sees both strategy and efficiency as non-negotiables for team success. In this video lesson, he outlines the maintenance conversations needed to keep teams on track. The Trap of Speed: Racing to address short-term issues and deadlines at the expense of laying a long-term foundation for the team To minimize wasted energy, race cars need good aerodynamics. The same idea applies to teams. You can’t just move fast and focus on the customer. If you don’t tend to your internal systems, you’ll spend a lot of time fixing people issues. 4 Areas to Check With Your Team 1. Initiation. Ask: How are we coming together as a team? What’s the narrative behind the work we need to do? Is it anchored on a clear, compelling mission? 2. Operation. Ask: How will we make decisions as a team? Who makes final decisions? How will we resolve disputes? 3. Interaction. Ask: Do we value relationships outside of work? Will we expect people to invest in those? 4. Separation. Ask: Are we clear on when someone should step down? How do we have that conversation? What are our metrics of failure? © Freethink Media Inc., All Rights Reserved. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think: ►Become a Big Think Youtube Member Get exclusive classes and early, ad-free access to new releases without leaving Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/@bigthink/membership/ ►Become a Big Think Web Member Get the entire Big Think Class library, premium print issues, live events, and more. https://bigthink.com/membership/ ►Subscribe to Big Think on Substack Get all of your favorite Big Think content delivered to your inbox. https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/subscribe/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Martin Gonzalez: Martin Gonzalez is the co-creator of Google’s Effective Founders Project and the co-author of The Bonfire Moment.