Stop Expecting Teams To Click Without Practice

In this host-led episode of Uncover the Human, Cristina Amigoni and Alex Cullimore unpack a quiet but costly contradiction in modern work: we expect teams to perform flawlessly without ever giving them time to practice being a team. Drawing parallels to sports teams, musicians, and even improv groups, they explore why collaboration, trust, and communication don’t magically happen just because people share an org chart—or a spreadsheet. Teams are dynamic, constantly shifting with restructures, vacations, new hires, and evolving goals, yet most workplaces invest almost nothing in intentionally forming and reforming how people work together.

The conversation challenges the myth that capable individuals will simply “figure it out” and instead makes the case for regular pauses, shared reflection, and deliberate team formation. From metaphors about baking cakes without stirring to real examples of retreats, frameworks, and outside facilitation, Cristina and Alex show why investing time in how teams connect—not just what they do—is essential for sustainable performance. If you’ve ever wondered why talented teams feel misaligned, burned out, or stuck, this episode offers a human, practical reframe on what it really takes for teams to work well together.