Research Reveals Keys to Increasing Team Productivity

Those were the questions Charles G. DeRidder and Mark A. Wilcox examined as part of a six-year research study they conducted with the USDA Forest Service.

The premise of their study was that a diversity of thinking would help teams reach new performance benchmarks. Using the Whole Brain^® Model as the foundation for their work, along with thinking style data from Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument^® (HBDI^®) assessments, they documented significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness when teams were designed to include a balance of thinking preferences.

Among their findings and lessons learned:

• Teams that are balanced in terms of thinking preferences are more effective; they consider more options and make better decisions.
• Whole Brained teams were 66% more efficient than homogenous teams.
• 70% or more of the teams were “successful” when Whole Brained vs. 30% or less when not.
• Size matters: 7 members is the ideal team size.

As DeRidder and Wilcox observed, if you want to break through to the next level of production and increase team productivity/efficiency, “The answer is clear: Organize mentally balanced teams that match the task.”

Download the full research report to read more about the study, methodology and outcomes: Improving Group Productivity: Whole Brain® Teams Set New Benchmarks

Watch: In this video, Ann Herrmann-Nehdi shares tips for improving team performance.