TEAMS - Project Aristotle

Hi All,

It’s been a minute since I wrote something on this blog. Gotta say, sometimes tough times push me more into thinking than writing. Interesting, right? Feels like all those basic psych classes in college taught the opposite: when you’re feeling lost, start writing down your feelings, set goals, and shape new habits. But anyway.

Today, I’m not here to dive into User Experience analysis. I’m stepping away from the usual “who did what right or wrong” on their website, because honestly, while I love doing it, it just doesn’t challenge me enough anymore. Plus, I’m not sure who really gives a f*ck about it.

Today, I want to talk about the importance of teams in the digital world.

As you might’ve gathered from previous posts, I’ve spent over six years working on User Experience for a bunch of different companies. And here’s the thing—I’ve always judged my experience by the people around me. If you know me, you know I’ve got strong opinions on everything. Lately, I started reading this book Smarter, Faster, Better by Charles Duhigg. Yeah, I was kinda bored, walked into a bookstore, and picked it up. Needed something fresh.

So far, the book is full of studies that break down success in different areas. For example, the first chapter is all about motivation—how people turn their lives around by focusing on something they’re passionate about. We’ve talked about motivation a lot before: why do we do what we do? What drives us? All that jazz.

But the chapter that really got me thinking was the second one: Teams.

It’s a gem. It breaks down a study Google did—Project Aristotle (look this up, it’s worth it)—to figure out what makes a team great. Spoiler: it’s not about having a bunch of rockstars. Average people, when put in the right environment, can actually outperform the “smarter” ones. So, what makes a great team? A team thrives when the environment gives people a sense of purpose, clear goals and roles, and—most importantly—psychological safety.

Reebok Europe was exactly that for me.

At the start, before I had any interactions with NGG brands (especially OFF-WHITE), I was working in this amazing, harmonious environment. Thanks to Vlad, the head of digital, and my boss Gaddo, I found myself in a place where I felt like my work mattered. There were clear goals and roles, and I never once felt afraid to speak up. I could propose new ideas, point out what wasn’t working, and I learned so much from both of them. Honestly, I’ve never had the kind of support and guidance they gave me. They probably don’t even know this, and who knows if they’ll care, but they helped me grow. They opened me up to a team of wonderful people. And even though, thanks to external factors (shoutout to Farfetch for f*cking things up out of nowhere), we couldn’t stick together, I’d pay to re-experience that environment.

Now, I know exactly what makes a workplace feel good or bad to me. And I know what I want to carry into my future, whether that’s at a new company or something I start on my own.

So, thank you, Charles Duhigg, for putting into words something that feels simple but really isn’t. And a huge thank you to the Reebok team. Miss you all.

P.S. Nothing personal against NGG brands, but that work environment was very different. Not exactly open to change or new opinions. Food for thought.