Team up for success
Harnessing the power of collaboration through team sports
How can we ensure the success of mandates? Spoiler alert — no standardised magic recipe exists that guarantees a seamless process for every project. In a people business with many parameters, different approaches and countless configurations, there is no cookie-cutter solution. Each situation is to be analysed, assessed and defined in a tailored way.
Teamwork is a term that can lose its meaning when overused or not sufficiently thought through. Different views exist on collaboration depending on the company culture, the work and jobs to be done, as well as the constellation of people working together. Some refer to their team as “family” or “tribe”. While this metaphor is probably well-intentioned, comparing professional relationships to family ties can have negative, if not toxic, connotations for some. So instead of comparing professional teams to family relations, what if they were seen more like sports teams?
“I wish I had played team sports. I think every kid should. Teamwork builds character — teaches people about leadership and cooperation.”
— Mo Rocca
Get the basics right
A team implies a collection of people with a commonality, a purpose and a shared goal. This means they get together and usually work on something that can be done better by more than one person. People who work together in a caring and respectful way are more likely to be successful and satisfied. In collective work and sports, selfishness and personal agendas are replaced by togetherness and team spirit. Members help their team by doing their job, but also by supporting each other. For instance, one may notice that a player is having a slump and so will encourage her or him to get a boost of energy. Effective and timely information is necessary for smooth collaboration. Communication is like the oil to the machine of good teamwork. Without it, uncertainties and misunderstandings might arise which will sooner or later manifest themselves on the field and have an impact on the outcome.
Whether at work or in sport, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but in all cases we learn. It usually takes the guidance of a coach or leader to keep an eye on the big picture and keep the team on track. People can train or educate themselves as much as they want, but once they are on the field or performing their tasks, they cannot constantly see the whole picture at the same time. Everyone has blind spots. Therefore, two perspectives are needed at all times: one of the doers (e.g. people working in the team, experts) and one of the enablers (e.g. people working with the team, managers, coaches).
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”
— Michael Jordan
This is the foundation of what makes a team. I believe this is a more positive and healthy way to look at collaboration. Of course, we all want our projects to be successful and the process to get there to be seamless. Yet, this is not always the case. We highly likely all have experienced all sorts of project fuckups. Understanding and applying the team fundamentals (e.g clear and shared goal, constellation, communication) is a good start, but a sports unit rarely wins by chance. There is no one way to lead a team, but there are some parameters for success for professional work forces to learn from and build upon.
What it takes to win
Normalise mistakes & failure
Winning teams make it safe to fail. The best performing crews actively foster an environment in which people learn together from failure and mistakes, rather than feeling ashamed or insecure. We all face setbacks and challenges at some point. In our society, we are conditioned to pretend to be flawless and to do things right the first time. But guess what? Life is made of ups and downs — so let’s celebrate the successes and accept that nobody is perfect. Fortunately, because otherwise, we would not learn anything and life would be pretty boring!
Be purposeful & persistent
“True champions aren’t always the ones that win, but those with the most guts.”
— Mia Hamm
Winning teams believe in the seemingly impossible. Of course, there is no point in setting unreachable goals. But in difficult situations or even when initiating a project, it is fundamental to trust ourselves, to have confidence and not to be afraid to set ambitious goals. Let’s manage expectations and responsibilities, stand together and face obstacles together when they arise. One for all and all for one!
Stay calm & resilient
Winning teams stay strong in the moment. They handle stress well, embrace challenges and are flexible. The highs are always pleasurable, but they become stronger when they go also through the lows together. As human beings, it is normal to feel uncomfortable in unknown and changing situations. We tend to be made for routine and habits, but this is not the area where we can grow. We need the right amount of difficulty to continue sharpening our skills and mindset. There are times we feel like a situation is hopeless. Times when we feel like a failure and our ego is hurt. But even when everything is burning, it is important to keep moving forward!
The way you interact influences the way others (re)act
As a team, it is essential to define what we want to achieve and do our best to win together. Furthermore, whether as a coach, captain or player — we all have to be mindful of how we behave and interact with others. The team culture is created and lived consciously. We need to ask ourselves:
- How do I want to communicate?
- How do I want to manage?
- How do I want to motivate?
- How do I want to lead?
- How do I want to cope?
- etc.
All these responses shape the energy we convey as individuals — which automatically impacts team dynamics. I am sure we have all experienced different leadership styles in various contexts of our life — from narcissistic and autocratic to inspirational and motivational. There are varying approaches depending on one’s values and motivations.
“A leader sees greatness in other people. He nor she can be much of a leader if all she sees is herself.”
— Maya Angelou
Reports prove the trend and the need to lead a company with a human, empathetic and trusting approach. They show that this is not only the most effective and supportive way to lead a team, but also the most profitable.
In essence, treating a professional work team like as a successful team sport can have a positive impact on personal satisfaction, collective well-being and the organisation’s bottom line. It requires vulnerability, trust, acceptance of setbacks, confidence and a cool head. Be the energy you want to attract! 🔁
