It just so happened that I was a physics teacher with my first higher education, but I never worked at school, except for a 3-month internship, which I remember with the burning eyes of the guys who studied in the physics and mathematics class)

So sometimes I get into the subject of physics and laws.

I was especially struck by this interview about life and artificial intelligence. Lisa Osetinskaya had a big conversation with Professor Ivan Yamshchikov. Ivan, answering the question "Which books does he recommend?", mentioned the scientist - popularizer of science Michio Kaku and his series of books. The very first lines of "Physics of the Impossible" reminded me of books from Stephen Hawking, which I read at the university. He also talked in simple language about the complex world of science. By the way, advice, if not already) Here is one of Stephen's books, The Theory of Everything. From Singularity to Infinity: the Origin and Fate of the Universe"Yu

At first glance, it may seem strange to compare the world of physics with the "shaky" and complex world of human relations in a team. However, if you look closely, you can see amazing parallels that help you better understand the principles of effective team building. Physical laws such as Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, Schrodinger's equation, transformation theory, and others can serve as metaphors to describe the processes taking place in a team. These analogies allow for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of interaction, management, and team development.

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The Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that it is impossible to accurately determine the location and momentum of a particle at the same time.

Similarly, in a team, especially at the initial stages of formation, roles may be "blurred" and not fully defined. Team members can perform different functions, trying on different roles, until they find their place in the team mechanism. This "blurring" may create some uncertainty, but at the same time it promotes more flexible and adaptive team building.

Case study: NetflixNetflix is known for its culture of freedom and responsibility. The company encourages flexibility in employee roles and responsibilities. For example, Netflix engineers often switch between projects, trying on different functions — from development to data analysis. This "blurring" of roles allows the company to quickly adapt to changes in the market and innovate.

Parallel management: Netflix demonstrates that flexibility in role allocation can be a powerful tool for adaptation and innovation. Managers should be prepared for the fact that roles may be unclear at the initial stages of team formation, and this is normal.

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The Schrodinger equation describes the evolution of a quantum system over time. In the case of a team, it can be interpreted as a "trajectory" of development, where the "wave functions" represent the potential and abilities of the team members. As in physics, the trajectory of a team's development is not always predictable and may change under the influence of various factors.

Case study: Tesla is constantly evolving, and its teams go through many stages of development. For example, when creating the Model 3, the team encountered production problems, which required a review of processes and roles. Elon Musk was personally involved in solving problems, demonstrating how the "trajectory" of a team's development can change under the influence of external and internal factors.

Parallel management: The manager must take into account that the development of the team is a dynamic process. As at Tesla, it is important to be prepared for changes and to support the team at every stage.

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In physics, transformation theory describes a change in the state of a system under the influence of external forces. In a team, similarly, under the influence of new challenges, changes in the environment, or goals, a team can undergo a "transformation" by changing its structure, processes, and even culture.

Case study: SpotifySpotify uses a model of "flexible teams" (Squads, Tribes, Chapters, Guilds), which allows you to quickly transform depending on the tasks. For example, when launching a new product, teams can reorganize, bringing together specialists from different fields. This allows the company to remain flexible and innovative.

Parallel management: Successfully managing a team's transformation, as at Spotify, requires the manager to recognize the need for change in time and respond flexibly to it.

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Brownian motion of particles in a liquid is characterized by randomness and unpredictability. There may also be situations of "chaos" in the team related to disagreements, conflicts, or lack of information.

Case study: Robinhood In the early stages of development, Robinhood faced chaos caused by rapid growth and high user expectations. The team was forced to work under conditions of uncertainty, but it was this chaos that led to the creation of an innovative platform that changed the investment market.

Parallel in management: Chaos in a team, as in Robinhood, is not always a negative phenomenon. The leader must learn how to manage this "chaos" by directing it in a constructive way.

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The Tuchman model offers 5 phases of team development: formation, seething, rationing, functioning and disbanding. These phases can be compared with changes in the state of the physical system under the influence of external factors.

Case study: Kahoot Kahoot has gone through all phases of the Tuchman model: from team formation to successful operation. At the "boiling" stage, the team faced disagreements about the development strategy, but thanks to effective leadership, they were able to move to the "rationing" stage and create a product that is now used by millions of people around the world.

Parallel in management: The manager must understand that the development of the team is cyclical. As at Kahoot, it is important to support the team at every stage.

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Different approaches to team building can be considered as analogues of various forces acting on the physical system. For example:

• Emotional cohesion: an analogue of the forces of attraction that bind team members together.
• Role-based approach: analogous to the crystal structure, where each element occupies its own specific place.
• Problem-oriented approach: an analogue of solving a physical problem, where the team is jointly looking for the optimal solution.
• Dynamic approach: an analogue of changing the state of the system over time, where the team is constantly adapting and developing.

Case study: Tencent Tencent uses a combination of approaches to team building. For example, in the development of WeChat, emotional cohesion (forces of attraction) was combined with a role-playing approach (crystal structure). This allowed us to create a product that has become an integral part of the lives of millions of users.

Parallel management: A manager must combine different approaches, as at Tencent, depending on the tasks and stages of the team's development.

In physics, the law of conservation of energy states that energy does not disappear, but only transforms from one form to another. In a team, this can be interpreted as a balance of resources: time, effort, attention, and motivation.

Case study: Kaspi Kaspi is known for its efficiency and high productivity. The company pays great attention to the balance of resources, allocating tasks so as to avoid overloading employees. This allows the team to remain productive even in conditions of rapid growth.

There is a parallel in management: The head must monitor the balance of resources, as in Kaspi, in order to avoid an "energy imbalance".

Newton's law of universal gravitation describes the force of attraction between objects. In a team, this analogy can be applied to leadership: a strong leader, like a gravitational force, attracts attention to himself and unites the team around a common goal.

Alibaba Case study Jack Ma, Alibaba's founder, is an example of a strong leader who has created a "gravitational field" around himself. His vision and charisma united the team, which allowed Alibaba to become one of the largest companies in the world.

Parallel in management: An effective leader like Jack Ma creates a "gravitational field" that holds the team together and guides it towards achieving goals.

Of course, the parallels drawn are rather metaphorical. The world of physics and the world of human relations are too different to be completely identified. However, analogies between physical laws and theories of team building, supported by real cases from Netflix, Tencent, Kahoot, Tesla, Spotify, Robinhood, Kaspi and Alibaba, give us a new vision and understanding of the principles of effective teamwork.

These examples show how leading companies use flexibility, adaptability, and a systematic approach to create successful teams. Managers can apply these principles to build more resilient, flexible, and productive teams capable of achieving ambitious goals.P.S. The article was written in collaboration with generative networks Gemini, DeepSeek, Imagen and Midjourney)Information sources:

1. Netflix and the culture of freedom and responsibility:

The official Netflix TechBlog: https://netflixtechblog.com / - Here you can find articles about the technical aspects of Netflix, but not always about culture.

The book "No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention": This book is a great source of information about Netflix culture. Try searching for it in online libraries or bookstores.

2. Tesla and the evolution of the Model 3 team:

Biography of Elon Musk "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future": A description of the production problems of the Model 3 is likely to be in this book.

TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com / - Search for articles using the keywords "Tesla Model 3 production" or "Tesla Model 3 challenges".

Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com / - Similar to TechCrunch, use keywords to search for articles about Tesla issues.

3. Spotify and the Agile Teams model (Squads, Tribes, Chapters, Guilds):

The official Spotify Engineering blog: https://engineering.atspotify.com / - This blog may contain information about Spotify's Agile approach.

Medium: https://medium.com / - A keyword search for "Spotify Agile" or "Spotify squads" will yield a variety of articles.

4. Robinhood and early-stage chaos:

TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/

Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/

Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com / Use the keywords "Robinhood early days", "Robinhood startup story", "Robinhood challenges".

5. Kahoot and the phases of team development:

The official website of Kahoot: https://kahoot.com / - The "About Us" section or press releases may contain information about the company's development history.

Interview with CEO Johannes Bugge: Try searching for an interview with him on YouTube or in business publications.

6. Tencent and WeChat development:

The book "Tencent: The Inside Story of the Tech Giant»: This is a good source of information about Tencent.

South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/

Tech in Asia: https://www.techinasia.com WeChat history WeChat history/ Use the keywords "Tencent WeChat history", "WeChat development".

7. Kaspi and resource balance:

Reports Kaspi.kz : https://kaspi.kz / - Look for financial reports and press releases.

Forbes Kazakhstan: https://forbes.kz/

Kapital.kz : https://kapital.kz / Search keywords: "Kaspi.kz management", "Kaspi.kz efficiency", "Kaspi.kz team".

8. Alibaba and Jack Ma's leadership:

The book "Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built": A good source of information about Alibaba and Jack Ma.

Alizila (Alibaba's official blog): https://www.alizila.com / - Here you can find news and articles about the company. Use the keywords "Jack Ma leadership", "Alibaba culture".

In addition, I recommend using Google Scholar to search for scientific articles and research on topics related to team management and the application of analogies from physics.