On Sunday, June 1st, the Dutch soccer world witnessed an unexpected event: Telstar, a small and historically modest club from the province of North Holland, defeated Willem II, a more established opponent. With this surprise win, Telstar secured promotion to the top tier of Dutch professional soccer for the first time since the 1977/1978 season.
The headlines were euphoric. One national outlet claimed, “History was made by Telstar.” Another called it a “miracle,” a true sporting upset.
More is less
While most people were caught off guard by Telstar’s rise, within the team there was belief — and from that belief came success.
But was it just belief and luck? Or was it also wisdom and quality? Scientific research is clear: more individual talent doesn’t always lead to better results. In fact, more is less has become something of a mantra in team performance studies. And another truth is just as powerful: team spirit matters.
Great players alone don’t guarantee great outcomes
The idea that a professional team needs to be made up of only the best (and therefore most expensive) individuals has been debunked. In 2023, five European researchers questioned the role of individual talent in team performance and turned their attention to the importance of interpersonal relationships within teams.
What did they find?
Adding more top talent to a team often delivers diminishing returns. What truly improves a team’s performance is stronger team spirit. The social fabric — the cohesion, trust, and sense of unity among members — can be just as decisive as the sum of individual capabilities.
These findings were published in the respected journal Academy of Management Discoveries.
The social context of performance is often overlooked
This insight deserves attention — not only from sports commentators but from leaders in all domains. In today’s individualistic culture, we tend to focus on personal achievement. But when true professionals speak, their passion isn’t just for the game, it’s for their work, their teammates, and their fans.
That’s what we heard from the Telstar players too. Their victory is a wake-up call — a reminder to value that passion. It’s the kind of love that fuels energy — in people and between people. It’s the same principle we’ve seen in resilient companies like Airbnb, Groupon, Honda, Uber, Disney, and Zoom.
Lessons for team leaders: winning is a team effort
What can leaders learn from this? Lesson one: Invest in team spirit. If you want to win, you need to do it together. No performance without connection. Warm, respectful relationships and genuine camaraderie are key. The Telstar victory showed us that working for and with one another truly makes a difference.
Effective managers invest in the culture of the team. They prioritize respect, inclusiveness, and tolerance. This allows individual talents to flourish as part of a unified whole. A team is strong because of its members — but more importantly, its members become stronger through the team.
Lesson two: Make personal bonds part of your success strategy. The DNA of winning teams isn’t just about skills and talent — it’s about the connections between players. The stronger the social fabric, the stronger the team. Sharing is powerful. If you want to grow together, you need to understand each other. And to understand each other, you need to know one another. And to truly know someone, you need to form a personal bond.
That takes time — and intention. Create opportunities for team members to connect, to learn about each other’s backgrounds, motivations, and values. Heart for the work and heart for each other go hand in hand on the path to real success.