In this episode of The Conversation, Clint Padgett sits down with Shane Snow, an award-winning journalist, entrepreneur, and best-selling author of “Dream Teams: Working Together Without Falling Apart.” Shane shares his origin story growing up in Idaho with an engineer dad and a teacher mom, and how that foundation of curiosity and problem-solving led him from journalism into the study of breakthrough collaboration.
The two explore what makes exceptional teams different, why cognitive diversity trumps comfort, and how trust, tension, and even disagreement can be leveraged to build smarter, more resilient organizations. Shane also shares fascinating insights, from the surprising entrepreneurial spirit of immigrant communities to the psychology behind why kids playing street soccer helped reduce hate crimes in Buenos Aires. This is the first part of a two-part conversation.
In Part Two of Clint’s conversation with Shane Snow – award-winning journalist, entrepreneur, and best-selling author of “Dream Teams: Working Together Without Falling Apart” – the focus turns from what makes a great team to what makes a team truly high-performing. Shane explores the concept of “cognitive friction” and how constructive conflict, when handled with humility, is a catalyst for innovation rather than a barrier to it.
The two also talk about the dangers of groupthink, the myth of culture fit, and why benevolence, not brilliance, is the real foundation of trust. With stories ranging from Steve Jobs’ bathroom placement to Malcolm X’s intellectual transformation, Shane explains how great teams cultivate shared thinking, mutual growth, and meaningful disagreement.. This is the second part of a two-part conversation.