The Daily Stat: Smaller Teams Are Quicker

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   AUTHORS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile OCTOBER 30, 2012 Smaller Teams Are Quicker Two-person teams took an average of just 36 minutes to assemble 50 Lego pieces into a human figure, a task that required 52 minutes for four-person teams, according to an experiment by Bradley R. Staats of the University of North Carolina, Katherine L. Milkman of Wharton, and Craig R. Fox of UCLA. Moreover, people consistently underestimate the additional time needed by larger teams, with the forecasting errors growing larger as teams get bigger. Increasing a team's size can hamper coordination, diminish members' motivation, and increase conflict, the researchers say. Source: The team scaling fallacy: Underestimating the declining efficiency of larger teams Share Today's Stat: FEATURED PRODUCT The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success Ebook Now Available Meet eight iconoclastic leaders who helmed firms where returns on average outperformed the S&P 500 by over 20 times. You may not know some of their names—but you will recognize many of their companies (General Cinema, Ralston Purina, The Washington Post Company, Berkshire Hathaway). In this book, you'll learn the consistent and rational traits that helped these select leaders achieve that exceptional performance. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Stat: BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done PREVIOUS STATS In Naming Babies, Parents Unknowingly Reference Hurricanes Companies Pay More Attention to the Sounds That Products Make "Telecommuting" Is Mostly Just Overtime That You Do at Home A Task Looks Lighter When Help Is Promised A Glimpse of Green Makes You More Creative To Be Truly Happy, Be a Boss in a Small Company To Score Better in Video Games, Sniff Peppermint You're More Selfish When You Feel Close to a Selfish Person Don't Believe People Who Say They Work 60 Hours a Week When You Call in Sick, Beware the Suspicious Boss Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "The Daily Stat" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2012 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)