Teamcraft

In this episode, Andrew explores the intricate role language plays in effective teamwork. We delve into the evolutionary anthropology of language, debates in linguistics and a comparison of the works of Noam Chomsky and Steven Pinker, and the impact of communication protocols in high-stakes environments like aviation and deep space missions. We learn about the distinctions between language and communication, the significance of storytelling, common ground, and shared mental models in team dynamics.

This episode is packed with references - if you want to dig deeper, here’s some of the key works from people that were mentioned by Andrew:

Noam Chomsky

• Syntactic Structures
• Aspects of the Theory of Syntax

Steven Pinker

• The Language Instinct
• How the Mind Works

David Marquet

• Turn the Ship Around! A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders

Paul Bloom

• How Children Learn the Meanings of Words
• Descartes' Baby: How the Science of Child Development Explains What Makes Us Human

Ray Jackendoff

• Foundations of Language: Brain, Meaning, Grammar, Evolution
• The Architecture of the Language Faculty

Michael Tomasello

• The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition
• A Natural History of Human Thinking

Elizabeth Stokoe

• Talk: The Science of Conversation

H.L. Goodall Jr.

• Why Communication Matters

Walter R. Fisher

• Human Communication as Narration: Toward a Philosophy of Reason, Value, and Action

Judith Orasanu

• Key research papers on shared mental models and situational awareness in high-functioning teams.

Ute Fischer

• Research on communication delay in deep space and high-stakes environments.

Kathleen Mossier

• Studies on communication and teamwork in NASA and aviation contexts.

Francis Frei

• Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader's Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You

Roger Martin

• Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to protocol-driven communication

00:27 The role of language in teamwork

02:30 Language as a constitutive force in teams

03:17 Spoken vs. written communication

04:28 Debates in Linguistics: Chomsky vs. Pinker

10:21 The evolutionary story of language

12:43 Steven Pinker & Ray Jackendoff

19:08 The importance of linguistics, and the overstating of body language

22:42 The power of storytelling in communication

27:45 “Common ground” in team communication

29:03 Communication challenges in deep space

31:32 Shared mental models and team dynamics

32:38 Why explicit communication is necessary to build common ground

34:54 Turn the ship around

38:25 Common ground in entrepreneurship

42:02 “Drilling” to build common ground and shared mental models

44:57 Communication in Aviation

Thanks for listening!

Music by Tom Farrington