Building teams in high-growth organizations proves challenging due to unstable team dynamics and the inability to depend on cultural osmosis. Organizations often face three strategies to incorporate new employees: maintaining old teams while creating new ones (Sink or Swim), mixing veterans with newcomers by splitting existing teams (Split and Absorb), or adding new members to current teams until they become too large and require splitting (Absorb and Split). Each approach leads to instability, complicating team cohesion and effectiveness. Key Points: - High growth refers to a significant increase in employee count, often doubling annually. - Team stability is compromised in high-growth environments. - Three strategies for integrating new employees: - Sink or Swim: New teams formed without altering existing ones. - Split and Absorb: Existing teams are divided to include newcomers. - Absorb and Split: New members are added to existing teams, leading to eventual splits.

This article is crucial for Engineering Leaders as it highlights the challenges of team stability in high-growth organizations, emphasizing the need to adapt team structures effectively. An actionable takeaway is to evaluate which team integration strategy—Sink or Swim, Split and Absorb, or Absorb and Split—best aligns with growth objectives to maintain team effectiveness and morale.