In this episode, Clint sits down with Shane Snow, 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.Topics Covered:

• Shane’s upbringing in rural Idaho and how it shaped his worldview
• Why “getting along” isn’t the key to great teamwork
• The hidden value of cognitive diversity and “intellectual immigrants”
• How shared play (like street soccer) can reduce tribalism and build trust
• The neuroscience behind in-groups, out-groups, and voting behavior
• The story of the Soviet Russian hockey team and what it teaches us about incentives
• Why brainstorming in groups doesn’t work (and what to do instead)
• How the best leaders foster safety, debate, and divergent thinking
• The power of holding two opposing ideas in your head at once

Links:
Shane’s website - https://www.shanesnow.com/
Shane’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanedsnow/
Shane’s book, “Dream Teams” - https://amzn.to/4qz7M4f