Low trust (slow) teams

Slow teams are slow to everything. In contrast to nimble teams, slow teams are slow to share vision, questions, strengths and learning.

People on slow teams do whatever they think is their work and expect everyone else to do the same. When things don't get done, people expect those who usually take care of them to take care of them. Sharing happens when people feel like it, are expected to, or not at all. Trust is low, meaning minimal or worse.

This is in direct contrast to nimble teams where people share everything because they have shared expectations that this is how work gets done. Trust is high. Work is great.

The essential difference between nimble and slow teams

The core difference between nimble and slow teams is their relationship to uncertainty. 

In slow teams, there is intolerance for uncertainty. Success is a lack of failure. Uncertainty is seen as a risk to success. The priority is on the illusion of predictability through approved roles, rules, plans, agendas and goals. This culture of approval is what keeps slow teams risk-averse, reactive and slow to respond.

Nimble teams see uncertainty as inevitable and vital for growth. Success is growing together. The priority is on freedom to define the good we care about together and to engage each other's goodness in realizing the good we seek. This freedom is what gives nimble teams their velocity, alignment and agility.

The explicit and implicit differences between nimble and slow teams

Nimble teams outperform slow teams by 200-300%. 

The explicit difference is about tempo and agility. Nimble teams move and adapt quickly because their work in a culture of growth. People feel free to work with initiative, inclusion and integrity.

Slow teams work in a culture of approvals. They are slow and inflexible. They are too busy doing what they're assigned to do to make growing together a priority. They move at the speed of permissions.

The implicit difference is their relationship to uncertainty. 

Slow teams see uncertainty as preventable and problematic. The whole emphasis on approvals is to create a sense of certainty. It is only the illusion of certainty.

Nimble teams see uncertainty as inevitable and vital. They are clear that every plan and decision creates as much uncertainty as existed prior to them. They are clear that uncertainty is a rich source of possibility. Dedication to growth as the point and purpose of work infuses uncertainty with meaning. Nimble teams flourish in initiative, inclusion and integrity because they know that uncertainty engaged is the prime agent of growth.

When we are dedicated to growing together, every instance of uncertainty is a fresh opportunity space for growth. Nimble teams are clear on how to stay aligned and agile no matter how much uncertainty they encounter. What's most significant is how the nature of their work has little to no similarity to how slow teams operate and organize.  

The slow-nimble team distinction

In a recent converation, the question arose about whether the distinctions between nimble and slow teams are exclusive. Do they have things in common? 

I would argue that they are two ends of a team culture and performance continuum. Teams can exist anywhere along the continuum and move consciously or unconsciously in either direction. 

Teams in the middle can have much in common, and less in common as they move closer to either end. At the ends, in more complete forms, they work from opposite principles and practices.

The principles of slow teams include:

• Do your job, make your numbers, react well to pressure to not be yourself
• Expect that focus on deficiencies is the shortest distance to improvement 
• Stay within the lines of permissions and approvals 
• Be careful how sharing anything can get in the way of your productivity 

The principles of nimble teams include:

• Make growing together the point and path of your work
• Define success together and move towards it through progress & sharing
• Expect that focus on our goodness will best support our growth 
• When you see something that needs to be done, do it, and pair with others for velocity