Collaboration is one of the cornerstones of any great project. As we explore the dynamics of teamwork, workplace relations, and the creative process, it seems reasonable to dive deeper into a study of collaboration. While multi-dimensional, the act of working with other people presents many interesting points of discussion. We can look at how one should lead a team or even investigate the intricacies of its hierarchy and structure. This piece will focus more on the different personalities most teams will inevitably have to deal with. And more specifically, how the uniqueness of each member can contribute to the larger goals of the group. Learning to work with people who have different ideas, styles, ways of looking at things, and approaches can be an invaluable asset in creative work. Let’s investigate some ways how.

Planning a Heist 

After his long-awaited release from prison, Danny Ocean traveled to California to meet up with his old friend, Rusty Ryan. Already in violation of his parole, Ocean presents his friend with an idea for a heist. Ocean’s plan is simple in theory but highly logistical in practice: to rob three casinos simultaneously by targeting a single vault that holds the on-hand cash for all three of the establishments. “You’d need at least a dozen guys doing a combination of cons,” Rusty explains. “Off the top of my head I’d say you need a Boesky, a Jim Brown, a Miss Daisy, two Jethros, and a Leon Spinks, not to mention the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever,” he continues. In layman's terms, they would need a large and dynamic team to pull it off.

Soon the two traveled to Las Vegas to meet up with a rich colleague, Reuben Toishkoff, an eccentric tycoon who understood the ins and outs of casinos. Danny and Rusty hoped that Reuben would fund their operation due to his hatred of the owner of the casinos they want to rob. “You gotta be nuts, and you’re gonna need a crew as nuts as you are,” Reuben says, but after some hesitation, he agrees to fund the project. It was time to recruit.

Ocean’s Eleven

The crew, which came to be famously known as Ocean’s Eleven consisted of a wide range of characters and personalities, each with their own expertise and focus. There was Frank Catton, a skilled con-man; the Malloy brothers, as drivers; Livingston Dell, an electronics specialist; Basher Tarr, an explosives expert; “The Amazing Yen,” a talented acrobat, an older more experienced con-man named Saul Bloom; and finally a young pickpocket named Linus. These along with Rusty, Reuben, and Danny made up the dynamic combination that would rob the casino. 

Each member played an integral part in the plan. With an onslaught of obstacles, teamwork would be an essential aspect of the mission. Livingston would take care of the surveillance; Basher would eliminate the power; Yen’s abilities would need to be perfect to weaken access to the vault; Saul, with his impeccable impersonation ability, would be crucial in distracting the casino owner. And the rest of the crew all had their specific tasks. If one man slipped up the whole operation could fall apart, the entire choreography had to be executed flawlessly.

The Collaborative Breakdown

Last year, American Psychologist (Vol. 73, No. 4, 2018) published a special issue on teamwork titled, The Science of Teamwork. In it, a slew of psychologists and thought leaders explored the inner workings of what makes a team tick. Some of the key findings are covered by journalist Kirsten Weir in a cover story called What Makes Teams Work?. “While humans have always joined forces with one another to achieve shared goals, psychologists are zeroing in on the methods and processes that make those collaborations more efficient and successful,” she says. We all know that two can be better than one, but why is that so?

We all know that two can be better than one, but why is that so?

Rochester Medical Center psychologist and 2016 president of the American Psychological Association, Susan McDaniel, Ph.D., says that “interdisciplinary teams are the way to make that happen.” This seems sensible, we saw Danny Ocean’s diverse variety and even in architecture, we find the project team manifesting large and small. The different disciplines can go on at length: structural, civil, electrical, landscape, plumbing, HVAC, acoustics, theater, facades, lighting, furniture, fire, and so on and so forth. Depending on a project’s scale and scope, some teams might require an army of consultants while others only the architect or contractor. 

McDaniel elaborates: “The art of teamwork involves complementarity that maximizes group strengths…It looks very much like a healthy family connected to each other, tolerant of differences, and looking out for everyone's well-being.” She suggests that it’s the teams that embrace the differences and uniqueness of its members, both personally and professionally, that flourish. How each person’s authentic gifts coupled with their distinctive personality fits into the larger whole becomes an essential component of fruitful collaborative outcomes.

Teamwork vs Taskwork

The two drivers in Ocean’s crew, Virgil and Turk Malloy are almost always bickering with one another, usually about something childishly petty. One of these trivial episodes occurs when the two are waiting in a getaway van while the rest of the team is stealing a piece of equipment needed for their heist. Essentially, Turk is pestering Virgil with the whole, “I’m not touching you” routine all older siblings have had to endure from their younger counterparts. 

... taskwork is the work that teams must do to complete a mission or assignment, while teamwork is the interrelated thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of team members that enable them to effectively work together

While ultimately just fun and games, this presents a good example of what military researcher Gerald F. Goodwin, Ph.D., of the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences would describe as the difference between teamwork and taskwork. According to Goodwin, taskwork is the work that teams must do to complete a mission or assignment, while teamwork is the interrelated thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of team members that enable them to effectively work together. “How well people work together may be more important than how well they work on tasks,” he says. “The secret sauce comes from the teamwork.” The Malloys completed their task, to drive the getaway van, but their teamwork could have probably used some improvement.

The Well-Oiled Machine

In the end, Danny’s master plan succeeds. After a flawless, yet fictional, execution, the team walks away with the $160,000,000 from the casino vault, scott free. Only in the movies, right? Group work can be frustrating at times. When we have to conform or compromise to bend to someone else's way of doing something it can be difficult and sometimes disheartening. But, collaborative work can also be highly rewarding. When we set aside our egos and open our minds to alternative points of view, powerful outcomes begin to develop. 

Embracing the right team dynamic can propel us into levels we did not think we were capable of reaching. The diversity and dexterity in each of our colleagues present an endless pool of learning opportunities and insights. All we have to do is strive for the larger goal of the group, with enthusiasm, acceptance, and determination. Hopefully, we won’t be planning a heist, but as we work to build a better future, teamwork will ensure an exciting path forward.