Good Team, Bad Team by Sarah Thurber & Blair Miller Summary
Overview of Good Team, Bad Team
Discover why NASA, Disney, and Nike use the FourSight System. "Good Team, Bad Team" analyzes 6 million data points to reveal why some teams excel while others implode. Can understanding cognitive diversity really transform your team's performance? The answer might surprise you.
Similar books to Good Team, Bad Team
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Key takeaways
When Everyone Speaks a Different Language-And No One Knows It
Have you ever sat in a meeting where everyone seemed to be talking past each other, even though you were all supposedly discussing the same problem? Where one person kept asking for more data while another wanted to brainstorm wild ideas, and a third person just wanted everyone to stop talking and start doing something? That frustration isn't a personality clash-it's something far more fundamental. We all approach problems through different cognitive lenses, speaking different "thinking languages" without realizing it. Some of us need to fully understand a challenge before moving forward. Others want to generate possibilities immediately. Some prefer to carefully refine solutions, while others just want to get things done. When these different thinkers collaborate without understanding each other's languages, even the smartest teams make surprisingly dumb mistakes. Every complex problem requires four distinct types of thinking to solve effectively. First, we need **Clarifiers**-the people who want to understand challenges thoroughly, asking questions and gathering information before proceeding. They're factual, focused, and deliberate, though sometimes they suffer from "analysis paralysis." Then come **Ideators**-the adventurous, spontaneous thinkers who generate possibilities and see big pictures, though they can get distracted chasing new ideas. Next are **Developers**-reflective, cautious planners who optimize solutions by weighing options carefully, sometimes getting stuck pursuing perfection. Finally, **Implementers** drive action with persistence and decisiveness, though they sometimes rush ahead before the plan is fully formed. Here's the catch: while we need all four types to solve complex problems, most people naturally prefer just one or two. We gravitate toward those who share our preferences, which means we often avoid the very people who could help us most. A Sydney HR firm discovered this painfully when LinkedIn launched in Australia. Of their 41 managers, 38 preferred implementation thinking-everyone was busy executing while almost no one was scanning for market disruptions or generating innovative responses. Their revenue plummeted because their entire leadership team spoke the same cognitive language, creating a massive blind spot.
The Comfort Trap and the Power of Cognitive Diversity
Purpose and Climate: The Foundation of High-Performing Teams
Trust: The Physics of What You Give and Get Back
Navigating the Messy Middle of Team Development
The Art of Creative Problem-Solving: Why Better Solutions Require Breathing Room
From Disconnection to Purpose: Building Teams That Matter
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to Good Team, Bad Team Summary in 10 Minutes
Break down key ideas from Good Team, Bad Team into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 9 Insights from Good Team, Bad Team in a Nutshell
Distill Good Team, Bad Team into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Fun Mode - Good Team, Bad Team Lessons Told Through 23-Min Stories
Experience Good Team, Bad Team through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to Good Team, Bad Team Summary in 0 Minutes
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
Get the Good Team, Bad Team summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.