We often assume that teams succeed because they’re full of talented people. People with experience, intelligence, technical skill and strong work ethic. But if that were true, high-performing teams would be everywhere. And we know they’re not. The teams that thrive today aren’t the ones with the most talent or the smartest individuals. They are the teams with the strongest human skills.

Hybrid work didn’t just change where we work. It changed teams at a fundamental, human level and many organisations are still discovering what that really means. We didn’t simply transition from office desks to Zoom screens. We moved into a world where relationships feel thinner, emotional cues feel harder to read, and everyday trust-building now requires conscious effort rather than casual corridor conversations.

There’s a quiet myth in organisational life that great teams emerge from great strategy. That if you bring smart people together, give them clear goals and a structured plan, collaboration will naturally follow. But anyone who has ever been part of a truly exceptional team knows that’s not quite how it works. Great teams don’t just perform well - they feel good to be part of.