What Sets Superteams Apart from the Rest

What Sets Superteams Apart from the Rest

From HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

April 21, 2026 · 25 min · Episode 1075

About this episode

The episode explores the characteristics that distinguish high-performing teams and the leadership behaviors that contribute to their success.

A small percentage of teams perform exceptionally well and have fun while doing it. And the secret to their success isn't innate talent. It's the way they work together. Ron Friedman, psychologist and the founder of Superteams, Inc., has studied the data on these high-performing groups across industries and identified the key leadership behaviors that drive sustained outperformance--from asking questions people often avoid to creating continuous feedback loops. Friedman is the author of the HBR article "How to Build a Superteam That Keeps Getting Better," and the book Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams.

People in this episode

Guest: Ron Friedman

Topics covered

  • high-performing teams
  • leadership behaviors
  • teamwork
  • feedback loops
  • organizational psychology

Keywords

  • superteams
  • team performance
  • leadership
  • feedback
  • collaboration
  • psychology
  • business

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Superteams, Inc.

Books & works: How to Build a Superteam That Keeps Getting Better, Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams

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