The difference between good teams and great teams? In my experience, it’s a little bit of dog, a little bit of cat.
Given some time and space, it’s tempting to dig deep into psychology and group dynamics to describe high-performing teams and build that perfect mix of introverts, influencers and implementers.
Given a napkin, may I present my simple fur-based diagnostic:
- Troubled Team A? All dogs. Energetic, always chasing after goals, but not always sure what to do once they catch them.
- Troubled Team B? All cats. Quietly perched on the window sill, evaluating those opportunities that often fly by unnoticed – from a distance.
If you’re finding your team’s goal-orientation out of whack, maybe it skews canine, or feline.
My favourite teams – and internet videos – have always been those where I can observe Cats and Dogs getting along.
In the workplace, it works best when there’s a healthy tension between action and analysis anchored on mutual Trust. (That’s a topic for another day.)
How do you know if you’re teamed with Dogs or Cats?
It comes down to that initial gut reaction – and later evaluation process – when a new project or opportunity presents itself:
- 🐕 Dog reaction: Yes! When? Who else will be there? How are we getting there? … What’s the Opportunity?
- 🐈 Cat reaction: What’s the Opportunity? How are we getting there? Who else will be there? When? … Yes!
To get technical for a moment: these behaviours mirror underlying cultural preferences – in the Competing Values Framework, Dogs thrive in clan or hierarchical cultures – the command and control situation, where collaboration, loyalty and structure are prized. Cats might lean into adhocracy or market cultures – where innovation, autonomy and results matter more than team process.
(And, yes, people can shift their orientation, often in times of crisis, based on Prospect Theory – risk averse and cat-like when gaining, risk-seeking and dog-like when facing loss.)
Every good, effective team needs both. The key is knowing whether you’re working with a good distribution of Dogs and Cats.
Build a culture to let both thrive.
| DOG | CAT |
|---|---|
| Yes! | What’s the Opportunity? |
| When? | How are we getting there? |
| Who else is involved? | Who else is involved? |
| How are we getting there? | When? |
| … What’s the Opportunity? | … Yes! |
HOMEWORK:
We could have a lot of fun stretching this metaphor – what do you think; does it ring true in your team? Have you worked with any Dogs or Cats lately?
BONWAG 