Agile Uprising Podcast

Creating Great Teams: A Decade of Learning

Mar 16, 2025
Sandy Mamoli and David Mole, professional matchmakers and co-authors of 'Creating Great Teams,' delve into the revolutionary practice of self-selection in team dynamics. They share insights from a decade of experience, discussing how trust, ownership, and vision drive successful team formations. The duo explores the evolution of self-selection from in-person settings to remote environments and its implications for adapting to AI and fluid structures. Practical steps for implementing self-selection and addressing concerns about team choices also shine through their engaging conversation.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Origin of Self-Selection at Trade Me

  • Sandy Mamoli and David Mole started self-selection out of frustration with traditional team assignments at Trade Me.
  • A spontaneous event called Shepard Day let people freely choose teams, sparking enthusiasm and ideas.
INSIGHT

Core Principles Endure

  • The core principles of self-selection—autonomy, mastery, and purpose—have stayed the same over ten years.
  • Context matters for how self-selection is done, but the core philosophy remains robust and timeless.
ANECDOTE

Learning from Early Failures

  • Having managers in view during self-selection can unintentionally pressure choices, as seen with managers behind glass walls.
  • Poor visualization of teams during early trials caused confusion, teaching the need for better clarity in the process.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app