What are your thoughts and beliefs about teamwork? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“A party without cake is just a meeting.”
“A single leaf working alone provides no shade.”
Image from Unsplash by Emma Day
Carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders is a task too big for anyone. This may be why the biggest sporting events involve teams working together on the common goal of winning. As spectators in the stands or even in a comfy chair watching TV, we feel the excitement of being part of the effort, especially when celebrating a victory.
Where in your life do you operate as a solo performer?
What is your experience of victory and defeat when you are the only one on the field?
How long do these feelings last?
Where in your world do you partner and collaborate with others on a common goal?
When did you last experience the acronym TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More?
EXERCISE:
What areas of your life would being better together make the biggest difference?
Image from Unsplash by Nicholas Green
By the time this post reaches your inbox or social media feed, I have review it numerous times. My own reflection on this process points to the high percentage of these efforts directed towards one’s progress in our personal and professional communities.
Although I am all for the achievement of individual success somehow, I experience even more satisfaction and fulfillment when I’ve been a part of a group or team effort.
Consider sports as a good example. On the list below, notice the fan base of popularity of team sports.
There don’t seem to be many stadiums built for individual sporting events. We all like to be part of a winning endeavor, even if we never get on the field.
| SPORT | # of Fans | SPORT | # of Fans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soccer/Football | 4 billion | Cricket | 2.5 billion |
| Hockey | 2 billion | Volleyball | 900 million |
| Basketball | 825 million | Baseball | 500 million |
Where are you engaged in an individual endeavor versus some form of group achievement?
Where is the “TEAM” concept of Together Everyone Achieves More truer for you?
Image from Unsplash by Caitlyn de Wild
How many meetings do you attend each day? How many of them are in person or over some form of technology?
How would you rate your experience of these events in terms of both productivity and enjoyment?
If you are like many of us the title of Patrick Lencioni’s classic book, Death by Meeting may sum up a good majority of your feelings.
Today more than ever companies are looking to attract, retain, and excite their team members, and the old ways of doing things by just offering competitive compensation and reasonable benefits won’t cut it in the long run.
How can and will you pursue a work environment with more of a celebratory and engaging culture?
Please don’t forget the cake!
What are your thoughts and beliefs about teamwork? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“Vital to every operation is cooperation.”
“Drop the hammer and pick up the shovel.”
“You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time.”
Image from Unsplash by Jessica Felicio
I recently saw a video keynote speech by David Burkus on the topic of how great teams find a purpose around which to rally.
In addition to using excellent examples of well-known organizations to make his points, he also used a few historical samples of powerful revolutions that galvanized communities, countries, and the world.
He suggests that we can all dig deeper than the core values or mission statements hanging in organization headquarters or above executive desks to discover our sacred values worth fighting for.
We are all allies in the sacred crusade to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, and combat racism around the world.
Where and how are you and others soldiers in your various communities bringing your wit and courage to act in these fights? How can and will you rally even more allies in these efforts?
Image from Unsplash by Josh Calabrese
Have you ever participated in a team building session with your professional colleagues? One of the goals of such exercises is to gain a greater understanding of each other, and to provide constructive input toward one another’s leadership styles and effectiveness.
The assessment I use for team building sessions categorizes individuals into one of four potential styles, depending on the situation. The four styles are:
How would you—or better yet, your associates—describe your leadership style? How might you and your colleagues—maybe even your family members—rate each other as it relates to being an influencer versus an antagonist?
What are your thoughts and beliefs about teamwork? Here are a few teamwork-related posts you may have missed. Click to read the full message.
“A single leaf working alone provides no shade.”
“Vital to every operation is cooperation.”
Image from Flickr by Daniel R. Blume
If you are a student of leadership and management theory, I’m sure you are fully aware that the old school “Command and Control” Taskmaster, or in this case, “Drop the Hammer” approach to success is history.
With the intense competition for talent, organizations and their leaders must create collaborative and cooperative cultures wherein each employee can develop and contribute in a meaningful way to remain engaged. Without the side-by-side pursuit of individual and organizational achievement, many top people will seek their futures elsewhere.
Where would more of a “Pick up the Shovel,” team leader approach to people and results be just the ticket for you and your organization to thrive today, and well into the future?
Image from OD4pic
As part of my preliminary discover process, two of the questions I use to determine the potential value of a coaching relationship are:
Based on the answers provided, a customized coaching relationship can be used to support going from good to great, or from not good to substantially better.
Perhaps no single factor impacts these areas more than the ability to create mutually trusting relationships and work toward common objectives.
Given the state of the world and specifically your worlds, what efforts and actions can and will you take to work more effectively and successfully with others?