Why Your Team’s Biggest Problem Isn’t a Skills Gap

Organizational researcher André Martin's new book Collective Confidence argues that team performance depends less on individual skill and more on a shared belief that the team can succeed together. Drawing on the 2004 NBA Finals upset of the star-studded Lakers by the underdog Pistons, the piece explains that collective confidence—built through six principles like fostering low-stakes wins and shared learning—predicts performance better than individual talent, especially as task complexity rises. The book releases September 8, 2026 from IT Revolution Press.