The Concept
Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, introduced the concept of “baseball cards” for employees—profiles that capture each person’s strengths, weaknesses, and working style. The idea is radical transparency applied to team dynamics.
At Bridgewater, everyone’s ratings are visible. You know who’s strong at detail orientation, who struggles with feedback, who excels at big-picture thinking. This transparency, Dalio argues, leads to better decisions and stronger teams.
Beyond Bridgewater
Most organizations can’t (and shouldn’t) adopt Bridgewater’s full transparency model. But the core insight is valuable: teams work better when members understand each other’s strengths and growth areas.
A lighter version might include:
- Work style preferences - Async vs. sync, morning vs. afternoon, heads-down vs. collaborative
- Strengths - What you’re known for, what you want to be pulled into
- Growth areas - Where you’re actively developing, where you need support
- Feedback preferences - How you like to receive input, what helps you hear it
Building Team Baseball Cards
The process matters as much as the content:
- Self-reflection first - Each person drafts their own card
- Peer input - Colleagues add observations (with consent)
- Discussion - Cards become conversation starters, not static documents
- Evolution - Regular updates as people grow and change
The Value for Product Teams
Product work is inherently collaborative. Designers, engineers, PMs, researchers—each brings different perspectives and skills. Understanding these differences helps:
- Better task allocation - Match work to strengths
- Healthier conflict - Know that disagreement comes from different vantage points, not bad intent
- Growth support - Help teammates develop in their declared growth areas
- Communication adjustment - Adapt style to what works for each person
Cautions
This approach requires psychological safety. Without trust, baseball cards become weapons. Leaders must model vulnerability, sharing their own limitations openly.
It also requires maintenance. Static cards become stale and lose meaning. Build in regular refresh cycles.
Starting Small
You don’t need a formal system. Start with a team retro focused on “how we work best together.” Capture insights and refer back to them. Build the muscle before the infrastructure.
The goal isn’t documentation—it’s understanding. Any format that helps your team see each other more clearly is the right format.