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.
They communicate with flow, navigate conflict with maturity, and support each other with instinctive empathy. There’s ease, honesty and a natural rhythm to the way they work. And even when the pressure is high, something about the team holds steady.
So what creates that magic?
It always starts in the same place:
- Self-awareness.
- Then awareness of others.
- Then intentional choices about how to work together.
This is the foundation; human before technical, that allows teams to become more than a group of individuals operating side by side. It’s what allows them to think collectively, decide intelligently and collaborate with purpose.
A self-aware team member understands:
- Their communication style
- Their decision-making patterns
- Their stress responses
- Their strengths and sensitivities
- Their pace, preferences and emotional triggers
This doesn’t make them perfect. It makes them conscious. And conscious people make more intentional choices. They’re better at adjusting their tone, their assumptions, their behaviour and their reactions in service of the team. They take responsibility for their impact – not just their intention.
Awareness of Others: The Shift From Judgement to Curiosity
- The direct person is seen as abrasive
- The quiet person is seen as disengaged
- The cautious person is seen as resistant
- The spontaneous person is seen as chaotic
- The emotional person is seen as “too sensitive”
- “She’s decisive and needs pace – how do we include that?”
- “He processes internally – how do we give him space?”
- “They’re risk-aware – how do we use that constructively?”
The Power of a Shared Language
This is where tools like Facet5 become transformative. Teams don’t need long workshops or emotional deep dives – they need a shared, neutral vocabulary to talk about behaviour.
Instead of:
❌ “You’re difficult.”
❌ “You never speak up.”
❌ “You’re too emotional.”
❌ “You overthink everything.”
Teams begin to say:
✔️ “Your high Will helps us move forward – how do we ensure everyone’s voice is heard?”
✔️ “Your high Control offers structure – how do we keep pace when needed?”
✔️ “Your Emotionality helps us sense risk – how do we stop overwhelm?”
✔️ “Your Energy gives us ideas – how do we ensure clarity before action?”
This shift from judgement to understanding is where trust grows. Where honesty flourishes. And where collaboration becomes smoother and more human.
- Misinterpretation
- Avoidance
- Unspoken tension
- Repeated misalignment
- Decision-making fatigue
- Emotional spikes
- “Why does this keep happening?” patterns
Self-Awareness Leads to Behavioural Flex
- A high Will person can pause to invite input
- A high Affection person can deliver harder truths
- A high Energy person can slow down to create space
- A high Control person can let go of small details
- A high Emotionality person can check assumptions
- Trust
- Communication
- Conflict resolution
- Decision-making
- Wellbeing
- Inclusion
- Resilience
