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Our HBR Article: The Surprising Power of Team Rituals

Writer's picture: Cosmic CentaursCosmic Centaurs

At Cosmic Centaurs, we always had the intuition that rituals are a hidden superpower: simple yet profound collective practices that bring teams together, foster meaning and purpose, and boost commitment. Now we have the proof! After three years of research—including a global survey of 929 individuals across 60 countries and an in-depth field study—we have the data to back it up.


Our latest article, The Surprising Power of Team Rituals, published in the Harvard Business Review was written by our CEO & Founder, Marilyn Zakhour, alongside Dr. Connie Noonan Hadley, Founder of the Institute for Life at Work, and Research Associate Professor, Boston University Questrom School of Business.





This piece explores how rituals can transform team dynamics and findings reveal that teams with strong rituals perform better and feel more connected. Some of the tangible benefits of team rituals we uncovered are:

  • 23% increase in commitment to team purpose

  • 20% boost in psychological safety

  • 28% growth in interpersonal knowledge

  • 22% higher job satisfaction


The hard part? Making them stick

Most teams struggle to make rituals stick. While leaders may introduce new practices, they often fade away due to a lack of consistency, meaning, or commitment. In the article, we outline five practical recommendations for designing and sustaining team rituals.


Our Report: How Team Rituals Enhance Life at Work

In partnership with Dr. Constance Noonan Hadley, we conducted a three-year study exploring how rituals impact team engagement, psychological safety, and performance. Our research included a global survey of 929 individuals across 60 countries and a field study within an advertising agency, where we tested the impact of structured rituals in a real-world setting.


The findings were clear: teams that integrate meaningful rituals experience measurable improvements in connection, trust, and overall team effectiveness. Leaders who are deliberate about designing and sustaining rituals see stronger team alignment and higher levels of commitment.

For more data and insights, read the full report here.


Ready to Implement Rituals?

Understanding the power of rituals is just the first step—applying them in a way that fits your team’s unique needs is what makes the real difference. To help you design rhythms that drive alignment, engagement, and productivity, we’ve created these resources:



One of the first resources we created in our early days was the Ritual Bank—a collection designed to inspire leaders and teams with meaningful rituals they could implement.

This bank includes rituals across all the categories highlighted in our Harvard Business Review article, featuring practices developed by both Team Centaur and our Cosmic Community.






A great cadence isn’t just about meetings—it’s about structuring time with purpose. Learn how to balance strategic alignment with execution and create a rhythm that supports high performance. Be deliberate about your time and read the article.



  1. Download our Team Cadence Worksheet & Template

Designing your leadership team’s cadence starts here. This step-by-step worksheet will help you map out the right rhythms for your team—ensuring time is spent intentionally and effectively.



Our Favorite Ritual? Gratitude.

We are endlessly grateful to the 929 individuals who participated in our research—your experiences were the foundation of this study. A special thank you to Dr. Constance Noonan Hadley, Dr. Maya Mahfouz, and the entire Cosmic Centaurs team for their contributions to this work.


This research has reinforced what we’ve always believed: rituals are more than just moments—they are the foundation of strong, connected, and high-performing teams.  We hope these insights help you create the rhythms that bring out the best in your team.

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