Team Work Is About Making Each Other Look Good
By Leanne Crain
I had the pleasure a few weeks ago to enjoy a game of ball hockey between a group of children. The team made up a strategy to win, and both teams wanted to win so they could take home the big prize. The stress was on.
Now, since these were children playing, the normal bickering started to erupt as the game got more and more intense. One little player hadn't quite learned the "team" idea yet, and so the focus was on him getting the ball, getting it to the net, and scoring all on his own. Despite the calls of his teammates to pass the ball, it was obvious this little player wanted the attention for himself, and would refuse to pass. Finally the team stopped, had a team huddle, and re-focused on the plan. They reminded each other to play as a team, and not as individuals. By giving the little player some clear lessons and direction, he was able to change his way of thinking and start passing, which ultimately led to their victory.
Are you wondering where the leadership topic comes in? Well, here's the thing. Yes, it was a group of kids playing, and yes, it was a game of ball hockey. However, there was a lesson in all that. As a leader, you need to be watching out when your team is working together towards a goal, and sometimes you need to call them in and re-direct things so that there are no star-players. Sure, you will always have people on the team that will shine given certain tasks, everyone has their own strengths. The challenge comes when the person pulls away from the team in order to be the star player, rather than one of the team players.
What can you do to combat this? Here are a few ideas:
1. Break up the big team tasks into smaller tasks.
2. If you notice the group breaking up a bit, pull them together as a group and remind them that you will all accomplish more working together.
3. Find ways to encourage team members to make each other look good.
4. Celebrate the smaller task as they are reached.
5. Make sure when you celebrate, you celebrate the team, not just one or two people.
One more thing, studies have actually shown that a team under intense stress will function far less effectively than a team under normal stress. If you are facing higher-than-normal stress levels right now due to business, down economy or work situations make sure you set aside time to be reminding your team that they are more effective together, than they are apart.
Remember, as Coach Dean Smith once said to Michael Jordan - "If you can't pass, you can't play".
For more ideas on leadership and team work, please contact Gary Gzik, ggzik@bizxcel.com.
Leanne Crain is a Marketing Assistant for BizXcel. Her background is marketing and tourism, and she has over 12 years experience in the sales and marketing field.
