As a basketball coach, the number five always appealed to me. There's a certain romance to it. With only five players on the court, everyone plays a role. No one can hide from pressure. Most of all, the intricacies of each player's game cannot be ignored. Is he a scorer? Does he rebound? In marketing, there's a similar feeling.
Think about the best project you've ever worked on. If you're so inclined, comment below with the number of people who worked with you on that project. My guess? It was five or fewer. But every person on that team, whether they're a social media manager, copywriter or analytics expert, plays a major role in success.
So, why do decentralized, smaller teams work well? Every member of the team has a larger voice, meaning more creative input and strategic direction. Less communication, believe it or not, means better communication. We've all had that project or two where emails get lost in the shuffle.
My favorite reason for working on small teams is the increased accountability that leads to personal productivity. If you want to be one of five players on a great basketball team, you need to bring everything you have to each possession. Want to be a great teammate on a marketing project? The same rule applies.