What were you doing Saturday night? I was watching the Blue Jays play in the World Series at Pearson airport. I am still in shock but it got me thinking, there’s something deeply important worth paying attention to: Great teams reveal their behaviours long before the scoreboard does.
And that’s why the Blue Jays are such a powerful example of what a high-performing team looks like.
In this three-part series, we’ll unpack how this year’s Jays demonstrated the same principles that drive elite delivery teams: clarity, cohesion, accountability, adaptability, and continuous improvement.
High-performing teams build culture on purpose
You can’t fake culture, you can’t buy it and you cannot “announce” it. You earn your culture through shared identity, consistent behaviours and accountability to something bigger than yourself.
This season’s Blue Jays were defined by chemistry, not just talent. From dugout energy to post-game conversations, you could see their team dynamics and the amount of fun they had together. Those interviews also revealed how much they valued simply coming to work with each other every day. These guys actually liked working together.
High-performing software delivery teams operate the same way. When individuals shift from “my tasks” to “our outcome,” velocity becomes a by-product. Average teams wait for a crisis to teach them while high-performing teams learn while they’re winning.
This is why Socrates Advice focuses on the team as the unit of change, not the individual.
They treat improvement as a habit, not an event
High-performing teams don’t wait until the end of the season or the game to improve. Coaches adjust strategy from the dugout in real time, preventing small issues from becoming costly.
Delivery teams need the same continuous steering. Waiting until the end of an iteration or sprint means blockers can potentially compound.
This is why our platform delivers a Daily Shift for behavioural guidance that interrupts unproductive patterns as they happen.
Elite teams don’t passively hope to improve, they actively integrate improvement every day.
Psychological safety shows up in performance under pressure
The Jays showed their trust when the stakes were high as they gave the ball to rookie Trey Yesavage in the World Series and trusting him to face Shohei Ohtani. That decision wasn’t luck, it reflected a culture where players are prepared, supported, and trusted to perform under pressure.
Great delivery teams operate the same way. They escalate blockers early, ask for clarity, challenge assumptions respectfully, and address quality concerns before they become outages.
When the pressure hits, high-performing teams tighten, they do not crumble. Clear roles, visible ownership, and aligned priorities reduce friction, prevent bottlenecks, and keep momentum. Safety enables contribution; clarity converts it into execution.
Reflection over regret
Loss hurts but high-performing teams turn emotion into information. After setbacks, they ask: Where did our system break? Which habits helped or hurt? What change can help us win tomorrow?
Delivery teams should do the same day-to-day. One behaviour at a time. Not in panic but with intention. That’s why coaching accelerates growth: it turns every iteration into an opportunity to learn and improve.
How you can apply this for yourself
Whether you lead a squad or contribute to one, try these:
- Audit your rituals: Are they reinforcing learning, or just tradition?
- Clarify ownership: If multiple people “own” something, nobody does.
- Strengthen psychological safety: Ask yourself, “What is the one thing that made it harder than necessary for team members to contribute?” Then listen.
Stay tuned for the next parts in this series where we will look into turning talent into teamwork and how to sustain momentum.
👉 Take the 10-minute Team Health Check in Socrates Advice. One insight can change your season.
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