The Science of Team Synchrony: Why Most Teams Are Delusional About Performance
Mon Jan 19 2026
High-performing teams are said to have chemistry. What's happening is synchrony—measurable patterns in brains, bodies, and behavior.
In this episode, Steven Kotler speaks with Dr. Michael Mannino and Erwin Valencia about team synchrony—the biological alignment that underpins trust, psychological safety, and team flow. They explore why teams routinely overestimate their effectiveness, how synchrony predicts performance under pressure, and why remote work makes these signals harder to sense but more critical to measure.
The conversation goes beyond theory, examining new tools that reveal the gap between perception and reality and help teams close it through subtle behavior-level shifts—without surveillance, micromanagement, or killing flow.
At scale, cooperation is a serious competitive advantage.
This episode shows how to build it deliberately.
Guest Bios:
Michael Mannino, PhD
Dr. Michael Mannino is a neuroscientist, co-CEO of Syneurgy, and Chief Science Officer at Flow Research Collective. He works at the intersection of applied neuroscience, human performance science, and AI. Michael holds a PhD in neuroscience, has published research on cognition, consciousness, flow, and intuition, and brings a systems-level perspective shaped by work across academia, technology, and research institutions including NASA.
Erwin Valencia
Erwin Valencia is a behavior designer, executive coach, and co-CEO of Syneurgy. He integrates behavior design, applied neuroscience, flow science, and embodied learning to help teams improve trust, coordination, and performance. Erwin is one of only five hundred Executive and Organizational Coaches worldwide certified by Columbia University and an alum of Stanford University’s Behavior Design Lab.
In This Episode:
00:02 From Wall Street to Applied Neuroscience
02:39 The Accidental Amazon Security Guard
05:42 What Is Team Synchrony?
10:20 The Remote Work Crisis
14:30 The 75% Delusion
21:04 19% Performance Boost in Six Weeks
30:26 The Future Is Already Here
36:11 What Kills Team Synchrony
45:03 Small Changes, Big Results
51:04 The One Thing Leaders Can Do Tomorrow
Episode Resources:
In their new book, We Are as Gods, Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis explore a simple but urgent question: What cognitive skills do we need to survive—and thrive—in an age of abundance?
The book is a practical guide to making better decisions, navigating uncertainty, and scaling opportunity in a world moving faster than human intuition evolved to manage.
Pre-ordering the book includes an invitation to an exclusive no-holds barred AMA with Steven and Peter.
→ Pre-order your copy here.
Syneurgy is an AI-powered platform that reveals how teams communicate, align, and perform—turning hidden dynamics into actionable insight. By illuminating patterns of collaboration and interpersonal synchrony, Syneurgy helps teams build deeper connection, stronger alignment, and sustained high performance.
→ Explore Syneurgy here.
Flow Radio Is Presented By Steven Kotler’s Flow Research Collective
Flow Research Collective is a leading neuroscience research company.
Follow Steven Koter:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStevenKotler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenkotler/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkotler/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A
Website: https://www.stevenkotler.com/
Flow Research Collective was founded by Steven Kotler, one of the world’s leading experts on human peak performance. He is an award-winning journalist and author with over ten bestselling books.
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High-performing teams are said to have chemistry. What's happening is synchrony—measurable patterns in brains, bodies, and behavior. In this episode, Steven Kotler speaks with Dr. Michael Mannino and Erwin Valencia about team synchrony—the biological alignment that underpins trust, psychological safety, and team flow. They explore why teams routinely overestimate their effectiveness, how synchrony predicts performance under pressure, and why remote work makes these signals harder to sense but more critical to measure. The conversation goes beyond theory, examining new tools that reveal the gap between perception and reality and help teams close it through subtle behavior-level shifts—without surveillance, micromanagement, or killing flow. At scale, cooperation is a serious competitive advantage. This episode shows how to build it deliberately. Guest Bios: Michael Mannino, PhD Dr. Michael Mannino is a neuroscientist, co-CEO of Syneurgy, and Chief Science Officer at Flow Research Collective. He works at the intersection of applied neuroscience, human performance science, and AI. Michael holds a PhD in neuroscience, has published research on cognition, consciousness, flow, and intuition, and brings a systems-level perspective shaped by work across academia, technology, and research institutions including NASA. Erwin Valencia Erwin Valencia is a behavior designer, executive coach, and co-CEO of Syneurgy. He integrates behavior design, applied neuroscience, flow science, and embodied learning to help teams improve trust, coordination, and performance. Erwin is one of only five hundred Executive and Organizational Coaches worldwide certified by Columbia University and an alum of Stanford University’s Behavior Design Lab. In This Episode: 00:02 From Wall Street to Applied Neuroscience 02:39 The Accidental Amazon Security Guard 05:42 What Is Team Synchrony? 10:20 The Remote Work Crisis 14:30 The 75% Delusion 21:04 19% Performance Boost in Six Weeks 30:26 The Future Is Already Here 36:11 What Kills Team Synchrony 45:03 Small Changes, Big Results 51:04 The One Thing Leaders Can Do Tomorrow Episode Resources: In their new book, We Are as Gods, Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis explore a simple but urgent question: What cognitive skills do we need to survive—and thrive—in an age of abundance? The book is a practical guide to making better decisions, navigating uncertainty, and scaling opportunity in a world moving faster than human intuition evolved to manage. Pre-ordering the book includes an invitation to an exclusive no-holds barred AMA with Steven and Peter. → Pre-order your copy here. Syneurgy is an AI-powered platform that reveals how teams communicate, align, and perform—turning hidden dynamics into actionable insight. By illuminating patterns of collaboration and interpersonal synchrony, Syneurgy helps teams build deeper connection, stronger alignment, and sustained high performance. → Explore Syneurgy here. Flow Radio Is Presented By Steven Kotler’s Flow Research Collective Flow Research Collective is a leading neuroscience research company. Follow Steven Koter: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStevenKotler Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenkotler/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkotler/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6RQY0d5rdlEiinHEtfWy6A Website: https://www.stevenkotler.com/ Flow Research Collective was founded by Steven Kotler, one of the world’s leading experts on human peak performance. He is an award-winning journalist and author with over ten bestselling books.