To continue getting breaking news and the full stories from The Boston Globe, subscribe today.

The Boston Globe

Opinion

Boston.com

Gareth Cook

Beehive management

Data suggest that successful teams have a clear signature: communication

By Gareth Cook

 |  Globe Columnist  

  April 08, 2012

In studying management skills at 21 organizations, MIT’s Sandy Pentland has found that one central idea has emerged: what really matters is the pattern of communication. It is so powerful, Pentland argues, that the communication pattern - who is talking to who, when, how - is a more significant factor in excellence than any of the more obvious possibilities, such as the intelligence of team members, their personalities and skills.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

Free access for home delivery subscribers.

Just need to link your home delivery account; one easy step.

Link my home delivery account

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help