How do the Seattle Seahawks do it? And is there anything we can learn from them? Especially the way they work together as a team, creating “group flow?”
Keith Sawyer, the School of Education’s Morgan Distinguished Professor in Educational Innovations, says yes.
Forbes.com talked with Sawyer after the Seahawks pulled off a stunning comeback victory to defeat the Green Bay Packers 28-22 on Sunday and advance to the National Football League’s Super Bowl.
Sawyer says there are triggers for creating the sort of “group flow” that allowed the members of the Seahawks team to gel and reach peak performance.
- Shared goals. Team members worked together, with no one trying to showboat.
- Blending egos. All teammates clearly shared a collective humility, with no one contribution outweighing others.
- Equal participation. Everyone was involved – even the lowly punter, who threw a touchdown pass on a crucial fake field goal.
- Always say yes. Like the Cardinal Rule in improvisational comedy, always say yes to your partner’s suggestion. It keeps the flow rolling.
Forbes outlines how these concepts can be put to work for teams and companies operating in the business environment.