The hottest Team Dynamics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

Trick or Treat?

Knicks Film School • 714 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🎾 Sports Basketball NBA Coaching Analysis Team Dynamics
  1. Tom Thibodeau is testing new substitution patterns and rotation strategies early in the Knicks' season. It shows they are trying to find what works best for the team.
  2. Karl-Anthony Towns' wrist injury could affect the team's lineup, and they might experiment with smaller lineups if he can't play.
  3. The Knicks are learning from each game and adjusting their playstyle, making the early part of the season a time for experimentation.

It's the Little Things

Knicks Film School • 813 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🎾 Sports Basketball Team Dynamics Player Performance Game analysis Fan engagement
  1. The Knicks won because of teamwork, with four starters each scoring 20 points. This shows that success can come from everyone contributing, not just one standout player.
  2. Improving role players like Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges makes a big difference. Their ability to create opportunities and adapt helps the team play better together.
  3. The Knicks showed defensive improvement in their recent game. Solid defense is key to winning, and they need to keep building on that to stay competitive.

Managing people you don't like

Leading Developers • 111 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
💼 Business Management Leadership Workplace culture Human Resources Team Dynamics
  1. It's important to recognize that your personal biases can affect how you view coworkers. Sometimes, just because you don't like someone personally doesn't mean they aren't valuable to the team.
  2. Diverse teams are often more productive and successful. Focusing only on people you personally get along with can lead to missing out on talented individuals who bring different skills and perspectives.
  3. To manage effectively, you should examine your biases, focus on each person's strengths, and adapt your communication style. This will help create a better work environment for everyone.

TBM 360: "Wait! I Thought the Team Was Overloaded?!"

The Beautiful Mess • 383 implied HN points • 30 May 25
💼 Business Management Leadership Work Culture Team Dynamics Productivity
  1. Teams often feel overwhelmed with too much work, but managers might deny there's a problem. It's important to listen to the team on the front lines.
  2. Sometimes, leaders want to cut down on projects, but managers are afraid to suggest it due to fear of losing resources. Clear and honest conversations can help break this cycle.
  3. If there are too many options with no clear priority, it's necessary to focus on one important goal at a time. This helps to reduce confusion and improves team effectiveness.

TBM 359: Process Person

The Beautiful Mess • 727 implied HN points • 23 May 25
💼 Business Product Management Team Dynamics Organizational Behavior Leadership
  1. Bad processes often come from a lack of experience or understanding. It's important to be flexible and learn from feedback to improve them.
  2. Not every process works for everyone. What's easy for one team can be too much for another, so finding a balance is key.
  3. Leadership sometimes asks for complicated processes without thinking about what's really needed. It's better to focus on making things simpler and more effective.
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7 proven mental models for engineering managers

Leading Developers • 218 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
💼 Business Management Leadership Decision-making Team Dynamics Productivity
  1. Use mental models to help make better decisions as a manager. They can guide you to avoid mistakes and think more clearly.
  2. Consider the opposite of what you want to achieve. This helps in identifying what to avoid and improves decision-making.
  3. Always think about the long-term effects of your choices. It's important to consider not just what happens now, but what could happen later.

Chiefs Fans Doing the "War Chant" After Beating the Worst Team in the League by Two is the Most Pathetic Thing I've Ever Seen From Any Fanbase

Freddie deBoer • 3712 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
🎾 Sports Football Fan culture Analytics Team Dynamics Media Coverage
  1. Chiefs fans celebrated a narrow win over a bad team with their war chant, which some see as embarrassing and inappropriate. It's not cool to act like you just beat a top team when you barely won against the worst one.
  2. There are concerns about the Chiefs' performance this season compared to past years. Their offensive play has slowed down, and some fans and analysts feel they aren't as dominant as before.
  3. Many Chiefs fans act like a lot of people hate them because they are successful. Instead, they should recognize their team's success and stop complaining about being disrespected, as they are now a winning franchise.

The 5 intensity zones of software teams

Leading Developers • 59 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
💼 Business Management Team Dynamics Productivity Work Culture Employee Wellbeing
  1. Software teams can operate in different 'intensity zones' ranging from very light to maximum effort. Understanding these zones helps managers know when their team can relax or when they need to ramp up work.
  2. Switching between intensity zones is important for a team's success and well-being. It's crucial to have a balance and prepare the team for high-pressure times while also allowing them to unwind afterward.
  3. Effective 'intensity management' is key to keeping a team adaptable and preventing burnout. Setting clear expectations about workload and work intensity helps everyone understand what to expect.

Data Leadership Done Right: Focusing on Work That Matters

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 506 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
💼 Business Career development Impact assessment Project management Team Dynamics
  1. Focus on what really matters in your work to create an impact, rather than just completing tasks. It's important to understand the value of what you do.
  2. As you grow in your role, ask yourself what projects move the needle for your organization. This questioning mindset helps drive meaningful change.
  3. To advance in your career, be proactive in identifying valuable projects instead of waiting for your manager to tell you what to do. Taking initiative is key to success.

5 Ways Agile Coaches Undermine Agility

Ageling on Agile • 159 implied HN points • 13 Oct 24
💼 Business Management Agile Methodology Coaching Organizational Culture Team Dynamics
  1. Agile is not a goal; it's a tool to achieve bigger goals like better teamwork and faster delivery. Coaches should focus on the benefits of Agile instead of just promoting the process itself.
  2. Some Agile Coaches act like salespeople, pushing their one-size-fits-all solution instead of customizing their approach to meet each organization's unique needs. Good coaches listen to what the company really needs first.
  3. Many Agile Coaches focus only on the teams without considering the rest of the organization. Everyone needs to understand how Agile impacts their work to truly benefit from it.

Fruits & Roots

Software Design: Tidy First? • 2187 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Design Development Team Dynamics Project management Engineering Practices
  1. The Forest represents a way of working where teams can deliver value quickly and effectively, highlighting benefits like fewer bugs and delivering good news often.
  2. Achieving the success of The Forest requires commitment to its roots, which involve working together, learning actively, and not over-planning.
  3. Communicating a shared purpose and fostering a strong community are crucial for maintaining the balance between roots and fruits in a productive team environment.

8 guaranteed ways to annoy your senior engineer

The Caring Techie Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Engineering Software Product Management Team Dynamics Workplace culture
  1. Always provide details when asking engineers to fix something. It saves everyone time if you describe what’s wrong and what you've tried.
  2. Avoid labeling everything as urgent. This makes it hard for engineers to prioritize and can lead to burnout.
  3. Be clear and prepared for meetings. Vague invites waste time and make it hard for engineers to focus on their work.

Close the Umbrella

The Engineering Leader • 159 implied HN points • 22 Sep 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Team Dynamics Organizational Culture Workplace well-being
  1. Managers should be honest and transparent with their teams. Hiding difficult information can backfire and leave everyone unprepared.
  2. Overprotecting a team can create dependence and limit their growth. It's important for team members to face challenges to develop their skills.
  3. A balanced approach is best. Managers can help their teams focus by filtering out unnecessary distractions while still being transparent about real issues.

Nico Harrison's Dončić Disaster

House of Strauss • 57 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
🎾 Sports Basketball Management Trade Analysis Team Dynamics Player Performance
  1. Nico Harrison, the Mavericks' GM, made a surprising trade that shocked everyone, trading superstar Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis. It seemed so unbelievable that even reporters thought their sources were hacked.
  2. Many people are trying to understand why the trade happened, but some believe it might be related to the team's ownership wanting to tank for better casino deals.
  3. Critics think that hiring someone from a sneaker marketing background like Harrison for a GM role was a mistake, as he's had previous failures that could impact the team's future.

Designers who PM

Anant’s Newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
💼 Business Product Management Design Engineering Team Dynamics Startup Strategy
  1. Hiring a designer who can also manage products can save engineering teams time and resources. They help avoid building the wrong features right from the start.
  2. A designer with product management skills can make design decisions quickly. This keeps projects moving forward and prevents delays in the engineering process.
  3. Having a designer who understands both design and product management helps create a more cohesive product. They can connect different parts of the product and ensure everything aligns properly.

Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

Shenisha’s Substack • 5 HN points • 02 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Work Environment Productivity Software Development Team Dynamics
  1. Programmers often need private offices to focus better on their work. Short interruptions can really disrupt their thought processes and lower their productivity.
  2. There are two types of work: those that can be interrupted easily and those that cannot. Knowing the difference helps in managing how we communicate in the workplace.
  3. Leaders should protect their team's focus time and understand the value of uninterrupted work. This can lead to greater creativity and better results.

TBM 330: (Un)common Sense Playbook

The Beautiful Mess • 1163 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Team Dynamics Work Culture Organizational Behavior
  1. Getting to know your team is really important. When managers understand their team members, it helps everyone work better together.
  2. Clear communication about goals and priorities helps keep the team focused. It’s better to do a few things really well than to try and do too much at once.
  3. Sometimes, the environment can hold back good management practices. Creating a supportive atmosphere makes it easier for common sense leadership to succeed.

The Impact of Founder Personalities on Company Success

The VC Corner • 779 implied HN points • 25 May 24
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Leadership Decision-making Team Dynamics
  1. Founders' personalities really affect how they make decisions. For example, some might be more open to new ideas, helping them find creative solutions, while others may prefer detailed plans to avoid mistakes.
  2. Different types of founders work best together. Having a mix of personalities, like a 'Hipster, Hacker, and Hustler' trio, can boost a startup's chances of success.
  3. A diverse founding team is important. Each member brings unique strengths, which can help the company adapt and grow in challenging situations.

TBM 335: "Simple" Dependency Coordination

The Beautiful Mess • 753 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
💼 Business Team Dynamics Project management Collaboration Productivity
  1. It's better to focus on fewer tasks and do them well, rather than spreading yourself too thin and making mediocre progress on everything. Aim for a clear main focus.
  2. Collaboration patterns between teams are more effective than just relying on lists of tasks. Discuss how to work together instead of getting bogged down in details.
  3. Starting with a conservative approach is usually smarter. Leaving some room for capacity means you can tackle tasks better rather than cramming everything in and ending up with nothing to show.

Issue #13 - Defining the Data Operating Model

The Data Ecosystem • 359 implied HN points • 07 Jul 24
💼 Business Data Strategy Organizational Structure Team Dynamics Business Processes Collaboration
  1. A Data Operating Model is key for turning data strategy into action. It outlines how the organization works to achieve its goals using data.
  2. Without a proper Data Operating Model, companies face problems like data silos and short-term thinking. This impacts collaboration and the quality of data solutions.
  3. Successful operating models need to adapt as teams grow and change. They should cover not just team structure but also day-to-day tasks, delivery methods, and oversight.

What I Gave Up To Become An Engineering Manager

Diary of an Engineering Manager • 62 HN points • 29 Aug 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Career development Work Culture Team Dynamics
  1. Moving from individual contributor to engineering manager means letting go of past habits. You need to make room for new responsibilities and ways of working.
  2. As a manager, you won't build things directly. Instead, you'll help your team create and support multiple projects, shifting focus from personal achievements to team successes.
  3. Managers face longer feedback loops and must learn to communicate tough issues early on. This shift encourages patience and improves team dynamics.

TBM 325: Skeptoptimism – Thinking Slow, Acting Fast

The Beautiful Mess • 952 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
💼 Business Team Dynamics Planning Execution Leadership Risk management
  1. Thinking slowly helps in planning well and reducing risks. It's not sitting idle; it's about being active and experimenting with ideas.
  2. Being a skeptoptimist means balancing a belief in teams with a realistic view of challenges. It's important to express confidence in the team's ability to succeed while addressing risks.
  3. It's key to involve others in 'slow thinking' to ensure they understand and support the process. Sharing your thoughts can help bridge the gap between deep exploration and action.

TBM 333: Lean Graph Theory

The Beautiful Mess • 476 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
💼 Business Product Development Systems Thinking Team Dynamics
  1. Lean principles are useful for all types of organizations but need to be applied with context in mind. It's important to adapt these ideas rather than stick to a strict method.
  2. Different models like path graphs, directed acyclic graphs, and network graphs help us understand how organizations function. Each model serves a unique purpose, and they often overlap.
  3. Most companies need to balance different approaches based on their growth and challenges. Moving towards more network-oriented and directed models can help improve collaboration and effectiveness.

TBM 337: Pirates and Garbage Cans

The Beautiful Mess • 343 implied HN points • 02 Feb 25
💼 Business Leadership Conflict resolution Organizational Behavior Decision-making Team Dynamics
  1. Conflict in companies often stays unresolved because people are afraid to ask for help. This fear can make it look like admitting problems is a weakness.
  2. The Garbage Can model shows that decision-making is messy and often relies on chance rather than a clear process. Conflicts may get ignored until something urgent happens.
  3. Unlike businesses, pirate ships had systems in place for resolving conflicts because surviving together was crucial. Businesses can postpone resolving conflicts without facing immediate consequences, which can lead to bigger problems later.

The Hunden Files 2: The Leak

Richard Lewis • 2044 implied HN points • 28 Mar 23
🎾 Sports Esports Team Dynamics Ethical considerations
  1. Nicolai "Hunden" Petersen faced a ban for sharing strategic materials with a rival team.
  2. The leaked Google Drive incident involved detailed strategies used by Heroic, possibly shared with Astralis.
  3. The court filings suggest Petersen may have shared confidential material irresponsibly, influenced by his desire to join Astralis.

Leading Effective Engineering Teams

Elevate • 1074 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
💼 Business Team Dynamics Performance Metrics
  1. Google found that psychological safety is crucial for an effective team, along with dependability, structure and clarity, meaningful work, and impact.
  2. Team effectiveness is more about how team members collaborate rather than who is in the team.
  3. Creating a culture of psychological safety where team members feel comfortable taking risks and expressing themselves without fear of repercussion can significantly boost team performance.

Is your project on schedule? How do you know?

Respectful Leadership • 54 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
💼 Business Project management Leadership Team Dynamics Risk management
  1. To keep projects on track, it's essential to dig deep into details and understand all aspects involved. This helps find hidden issues before they become problems.
  2. Unexpected challenges will always arise, so having backup plans is crucial. It's better to prepare for potential setbacks than to face surprises later.
  3. Effective project estimates need thorough discussions and clear communication among all teams. This helps ensure everyone understands what needs to be done and avoids over-optimism.

Culture as a Driver of Success (or Failure)

peoplefirstengineering • 14 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Work Culture Organizational Behavior Team Dynamics Leadership
  1. Workplace culture is complex and hard to define, but it affects how we feel and perform at work. Everyone experiences it differently based on their individual stories.
  2. Culture is built through the interactions of team members and can change over time. It’s not something that can be easily controlled or fixed with a simple solution.
  3. Everyone at work plays a role in shaping the culture. By being aware of our behaviors and choices, we can create a positive environment together.

TBM 322: Work Shape Mix

The Beautiful Mess • 647 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
💼 Business Project management Organizational Behavior Team Dynamics Product Development Strategic Planning
  1. Companies often deal with three types of work: large projects, independent product work, and new zero-to-one efforts. Each type requires different management and has its own risks.
  2. As a company grows, it shifts from doing new projects to having more complex ones. It’s important to balance these types of work to avoid chaos and inefficiency.
  3. Recognizing when to formalize new processes is crucial. Waiting too long could lead to bigger problems, so it’s key to find a balance between addressing issues and letting some friction stay.

I Was Wrong About Scrum, Again

Rethinking Software • 549 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Agile Methodology Project management Team Dynamics Product Management
  1. Sprints can feel non-stop and stressful since they don't have breaks, which can lead to burnout. It's suggested that a 'sustainable pace' would help, but taking real breaks might be a simpler solution.
  2. Daily stand-ups can make team members feel pressured to justify their work constantly. However, the intent behind them is not for status updates but to facilitate communication and support.
  3. The role of a Product Owner in Scrum can leave developers feeling sidelined. Developers may worry that their insights are overlooked, but it’s believed that good Product Owners will always prioritize the development team's needs.

TBM 320: From Fluffy Concepts to Concrete Outcomes & Behaviors

The Beautiful Mess • 555 implied HN points • 10 Nov 24
💼 Business Product Management Team Dynamics Behavior Change Organizational Culture Decision-making
  1. It's important to translate vague concepts into specific behaviors. Instead of saying you want to be 'data-driven,' describe actual actions that show you are doing this.
  2. Discussing behaviors as a team can spark valuable conversations and help everyone understand what needs to change. It allows people to share experiences and ideas in a meaningful way.
  3. When trying to improve team actions, focus on what gets in the way—like training gaps or social pressures. Identifying these barriers helps create better strategies for change.

Scrum’s Definition of Done Is Polishing Plates in a Burning Kitchen

Rethinking Software • 499 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Agile Methodology Project management Quality Assurance Team Dynamics
  1. Scrum's Definition of Done creates extra pressure on developers to deliver perfect work, even when the process is chaotic. It doesn't fix the problems; it just shifts the blame onto the team.
  2. Instead of focusing on quality, Scrum encourages speed and follows strict checklists. This leads to developers cutting corners just to meet unrealistic deadlines.
  3. Real improvements would come from changing the whole process, like allowing more time for reflection, empowering developers, and reducing unnecessary meetings, which would promote better quality work.

The Tale of Two Teams

Software Design: Tidy First? • 1281 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
💼 Business Leadership Software Development Management Innovation Team Dynamics
  1. Software development teams can take two different paths over time - one struggling to maintain progress and innovate, the other accelerating and exceeding expectations.
  2. Executives play a crucial role in steering teams towards successful software development by fostering a culture of continual improvement, tidy code, automation, and collaboration.
  3. Understanding software design fundamentals as an executive can help diagnose ineffective teams, bridge communication gaps between business and technology, and inspire innovation and excellence.

The Cavaliers are a problem (and might have a problem)

Good Morning It's Basketball • 648 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎾 Sports Basketball Team Dynamics Player Performance
  1. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been performing surprisingly well despite initial concerns about their roster and coaching.
  2. The team is successfully navigating the challenge of balancing the playing time and effectiveness of key players like Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
  3. There are key decisions ahead for the Cavaliers regarding player rotations and potential trades to solidify their playoff aspirations.

Cultivating Excellence in Teams with Continuous Software Engineering — Part 1: Defining Excellence through 5 Characteristics

The Healthy Engineering Leader • 99 implied HN points • 09 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Team Dynamics Product Development Continuous Improvement
  1. An effective team knows what its customers want and focuses on building the right product. They prioritize features based on customer needs and data.
  2. High craftsmanship involves a team that produces quality work while minimizing bugs. They continuously learn and share knowledge to improve their software.
  3. Good communication and collaboration create a cohesive team environment. Everyone feels safe to share ideas, which helps solve problems together.