There are a few additional aspects of team chemistry that are not included in our list and those are the concepts of finesse and tact. Understanding nuance is also critically important to team chemistry. These are skills that don’t receive much attention in the myriad lists of “top skills for the future,” but I would argue that they form the foundation for all high-functioning teams that sustain their performance over the long term.

We’ve all heard these phrases before: “My team just clicks,” “My team is a well-oiled machine,” “My team is really gelling,” “My team has great chemistry,” and the ever-nauseating “Teamwork makes the dream work.” This week, I’d like to explore the concept of team chemistry to determine if it’s as mysterious as it’s often made out to be, or if there are necessary conditions that underlie team chemistry and make it something we can create and extend from one team to another.