A healthy team is a team with high social capital: a team that seeks the common good, where people clean up after themselves and volunteer to help others. Everyone wants the best idea to prevail. All this while preserving critical thinking and trusting other people with the feedback that is necessary to improve. Their most important competitor is another company.

An unhealthy team is a team with low social capital: a team that seeks individual gain and people force others to pick up after their technical debt. Everyone wants their own idea to prevail. All this while avoiding any form of uneasy conversation and withholding feedback. Their most important competitor is each other.