Two teams work in the same office. You are allowed to spend as much time as you want observing them. Then you must choose: Which one will be more successful?

That question more and more is drawing the attention of businesses. In this Harvard Business Review article, researcher Sandy Pentland concludes that patterns of communication mean more than factors like intelligence, personality, skill, and the substance of discussions combined.

But what exactly are patterns of communication?

Pentland has developed a badge that measures the energy, body language and even the places where people communicate. Strangely enough, the badge doesn’t measure — or care about — the substance of the communication. It just collects data on how people interact.

If you’re a coach, boss or leader of any kind, the video in the article can help you think about your team.

As a clue, listen to what Pentland says about the personality type that best predicts a team’s success: a charismatic connector. This is the person who goes from team member to team member, asking their opinion on certain issues.

This Psychology Today article goes into the subject of charismatic connectors. It said, “In brainstorming sessions with teams whose social style was similar to these charismatic connectors, the resulting quality of the talking was characterized by high levels of listening, more even-handed turn-taking, and high levels of engagement, trust, and cooperation.”

Who knows? Perhaps Jeremy Lin is a charismatic connector, and that helps explain why the New York Knicks improved with him in the lineup.

Do you know enough about charismatic connectors? Do you have one on your team?

*** *** *** ***

Would you like to improve at what you do? “The Improvement Factor: How Winners Turn Practice into Success” can show you how! Are you a coach? “Ten Things Great Coaches Know” can make you a better one.