Forget the pecking order at work

In a hybrid software team, one remote developer consistently delivers standout code but rarely joins casual video chats or offers help on others' tasks, while colocated colleagues bond over shared problems during breaks. Over months, overall output stalls as questions go unanswered and trust erodes between locations.

The Superchicken Model

Margaret Heffernan argues that organizations have long followed the superchicken model, selecting star performers who outperform others. She draws on William Muir's chicken experiments to show that this approach produces aggression, dysfunction, and waste rather than collective success.

Social Cohesion as the Real Driver

Heffernan claims high-achieving teams instead rely on social cohesion built through everyday interactions such as coffee breaks and one colleague asking another for help. These repeated small acts create the conditions for sustained results over time.

Applying the Insight to Hybrid Settings

In the opening hybrid team scenario, the emphasis on an individual star mirrors the superchicken model and explains the stalled progress. Shifting focus to fostering connections across locations, even when work is flexible and remote, would encourage the mutual support that Heffernan identifies as the source of stronger team performance.

Carrying the Question Forward

What daily habits might teams adopt to value cohesion over individual stars, and how would that reshape productivity in the hybrid era?