Idea 62: The interaction of the three circles

The Three Circles model suggests quite simply that the task, team and individual needs are always interacting with each other, for good or for ill.

To understand this dynamic positive or negative interaction, think of the knock-on effects in the other two circles of any change in one circle.

For example, if a group achieves its task, that in itself will tend to draw its members closer together.

On the negative side, if a group lacks harmony and has internal communication problems, it will be less capable of effective work on the common task, as well as being less likely to meet the social need of individual members.

Each of the circles must always be seen in relation to the other two. As a leader, ...

Get John Adair's 100 Greatest Ideas for Personal Success now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.