Groups fail on structure far more often than on goodwill. Set the size, choose a decision rule, and switch structural fixes on and off — the relationship web, the risk meters and the story of how your project ends all move as you do. Then click a role to see what it sounds like and what to say when it goes wrong.
Build the group
How many people? Two people have one relationship. Eight have twenty-eight.
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Decision rule — stated before the discussion, or not at all
Structural fixes
Name the behavior, not the person
Why this mattersRoles are behaviors, not personalities. The same person can initiate in one meeting and block in the next — which is lucky, because you can address a behavior far more easily than you can address someone’s character.