I attended a talk at the RSA* today on 'Superteams' by Khoi Tu - author of Superteams:The Secrets of Stellar Performance From Seven Legendary Teams.

It was a fascinating talk and I wanted to share some of the key learnings about what makes a superteam:

• Great teams start with great individuals. Ignore the myth of the sole hero (something even Steve Jobs rejected) - the best teams amplify the individual's talent.
• All superteams have a common purpose that acts as 'a north star to navigate to'.
• The best teams practice and rehearse to ensure top performance. Think of a Formula One team and the pitstop. They don't do it in under five seconds by accident!
• Trust is the lifeblood of teams. Knowing your colleagues have got your back and will muck in is crucial.
• All great teams need abrasion and occasional (healthy) conflict. Too much consensus can lead to group think.
• Having rules of engagement and interesting conflict helps build trust. Ultimately you want to encourage a 'democracy of ideas, but a dictatorship of decisions' to ensure things get actioned. 

Interestingly, the book looks beyond the normal corporate landscape and examines what makes the Rolling Stones, the Northern Ireland Peace Process, the European Ryder Cup team, Pixar, the SAS, the Ferrari Formula One team and the Red Cross such great teams. 

I can recognise lots of the above qualities in teams I've been part of, but consensus, group think and committees would be the one area that has been the greatest weakness I've observed in teams I've worked in.

What qualities do you think make a great fundraising team? Do let me know...

*audio and video from the talk should be available on the RSA website in a few days.