Suggest edit — team-dynamics

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# team dynamics

reflections on what makes teams work, from math competitions to startup internships.

## the bandwidth principle

"more bandwidth in comms is always better: meet often, be as synced as possible." see [[resyncing]] for specific tools.

the opposite — splitting things equally and working independently — feels efficient but produces worse results. the sum of parts equals whole, just multiprocessing but worse. real collaboration requires overlap, redundancy, and constant communication.

## good environments

the three qualities of a good team environment:
- **honest** — people say what they actually think, see [[feedback-and-honesty]]
- **urgent** — there's energy and momentum, not slack
- **stress-free** — urgency without anxiety. this is the hard balance.

## assume no ill will

from a math competition team experience: i felt the team wasn't doing strong work, wasn't on the same page. i got suspicious of people's effort and intentions.

the realization: "these are all just my perceptions, many times wrong or exaggerated." suspicion makes team dynamic cooked. the better stance:

- assume no ill will
- assume everyone is fighting their own battle
- express what you feel and why it matters (see [[feedback-and-honesty]])
- don't ask for anything specific — just share, then keep working

## values over output

"i value my relationship with these people — even if we submit a perfect thing but become farther apart, that's not worth it." this is a non-obvious priority: the relationship matters more than the deliverable. a team that stays connected produces better work long-term, even if the immediate output suffers.

## the looking-down trap

"at school, sometimes look down on people thus try to do a lot of work myself." this is ego-driven and counterproductive. the fix: invest in the team, build people up (see [[gratitude-and-appreciation]]), and trust the collective.

## picking people

"picking the right people is very important, working with people you don't vibe with is tiring." and the related lesson: "figure out what you want earlier and optimize for that" — from a hackathon partner search.

you can't always choose your team, but when you can, optimize for vibe and complementary skills. when you can't, invest in [[relationship-repair]].

## community building

"community is definitely not as easy as some good descriptions, maybe some food." building community requires sustained effort beyond the obvious. this connects to [[intentionality]] — community doesn't happen by accident.