Name: The surprisingly simple reason teams fail
Uploaded: 2025-12-08T15:34:29Z
Duration: 15 min 35 s
Description: In 1999, a NASA mission to Mars failed ... not from a technical glitch, but because people weren't talking to each other. Psychology professor Tessa West explores how assumptions, overlooked details and "hidden languages" can quietly sabotage even the smartest teams — and explores the small shifts in communication that can make a big difference in how information lands.

Tessa West: The surprisingly simple reason teams fail

The surprisingly simple reason teams fail

In 1999, a NASA mission to Mars failed ... not from a technical glitch, but because people weren't talking to each other. Psychology professor Tessa West explores how assumptions, overlooked details and "hidden languages" can quietly sabotage even the smartest teams — and explores the small shifts in communication that can make a big difference in how information lands.

Critical failures often trace back to small communication gaps, not technical errors. The Mars Climate Orbiter famously broke apart because teams used different units of measurement and never clarified. Research shows most groups ignore unique, vital information, focusing instead on what everyone already knows. Hidden languages, jargon, and unspoken norms quietly derail decisions, even when stakes are high.

Miscommunication Topples Even the Smartest Teams

Team failures often trace back to simple, preventable miscommunications. The Mars Climate Orbiter’s destruction in 1999 was caused by two teams using different units of measurement and failing to clarify—a mistake as basic as mixing up pounds and kilograms in a cake recipe. Research shows that groups routinely overlook sharing critical information, even when everyone wants to succeed. Hidden languages, unspoken assumptions, and missed cues quietly undermine collaboration until it’s too late.