The Judgement Call

Hosts: Maureen West and Eric Haugen

Producer: Eric Haugen

October 27, 2026

48 minutes

Summary

In this episode of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭, co-hosts Maureen West and Eric Haugen explore what it means to build and sustain high-performing teams in modern tech and SaaS organizations. We argue that high-performing teams don't just happen but rather are the result of intentional design, investing in humans, and deep collaboration around a unified mission. We also discuss common structural dysfunctions that inhibit teams from delivering superior results, the counterproductive use of “tiger teams," what is needed to build high-performing teams, and why, at least currently, AI isn't a panacea for delivering high impact without the humans.

Chapters

00:00 Podcast Introduction

00:54 Introduction to High-Performing Teams

10:38 Tell-Tale Signs You Don't Have a High-Performing Team, Part 1

15:38 Creating the Environment to Build High-Performing Teams

25:06 Tell-Tale Signs You Don't Have a High-Performing Team, Part 2

27:06 Tell-Tale Signs You Do Have a High-Performing Team

29:53 The Definition of a High-Performing Team

30:18 Building High-Performing Teams (They Don't Just Happen)

35:14 The Ridiculousness (and Consequences) of a Tiger Team

41:34 The Future of AI and High-Performing Teams