There is an "I" in Team
By Renée Eaton
Don't get caught up in the propaganda! Check out this new approach to creating better teams. It's not what you think.
I'm tired of teams. Yes, I know: two minds are better than one; all of us are smarter than one of us; many hands make light work. All clichés. Possibly the worst one I've heard is: "Team means Together Everyone Achieves More!"
I will not deny that the benefits of great teams are overwhelming: more work is accomplished, more creative ideas are hatched, and there is better problem-solving and more productive brainstorming leading to superior results. But whenever I become part of a team, I'm expected to shed my individuality. I'm supposed to leave all my issues at the door, like luggage at baggage drop-off. Once I've left "me" behind then I can join the utopian environment of the team where everyone thinks and acts as one being - "Team."
Well, you know what? "Team" doesn't have an e-mail account at your company. "Team" doesn't have an extension number. You don't issue "Team" a paycheck. "Team" isn't a being on its own; it's Tom, Jackie, Ted, Jake and Sue. It is people. People with feelings, obligations, responsibilities and yes, issues and problems outside of the team and when they join the team, they bring these with them.
When you choose to ignore this, it is not only detrimental to the well-being of the employees, but also to the goals of the team.
This is why I'm advocating that you start putting the "I" into your teams. *Gasp* I know, we've all been told for years that there is no "I" in teams, but I'm here to tell you that we've all been dubbed. We've all bought into the propaganda.
Of course, there's an "I" in team. There are many of them because your teams are comprised of Individuals. So why don't you start looking at them that way.
Think of rowing. You need all the rowers working as a team to make the shell move smoothly across the water. However, what happens if one of them isn't working at their peak potential? It throws off the entire team and they don't perform as well as they could.
Now let's look at it in a workplace scenario:
- Sue has a fear of rejection and is afraid to speak up and tell the rest of the team her ideas. (And they're great ideas, by the way.)
- Tom's lack of confidence is causing him to pass on larger tasks and responsibilities (which is overloading Jake), even though he is fully capable of doing them exceedingly well.
- Jake is overwhelmed by a situation at home and doesn't know how much longer he can handle both this and his heavy workload. (He's headed for a burn-out).
- Jackie's perpetual negativity is bringing down everyone in the group and stifling creativity.
Your team is only as good as the individuals in it. You need healthy, happy people in order to have a productive, fully functioning team. When you start addressing the individuals as individuals, the team will naturally start to perform better.
As Fast Company Expert Blogger Cy Wakeman said, "There may not be an 'I' in the word 'TEAM' but there certainly is an 'I' in WIN! And in 'PRODUCTIVITY,' 'IMPROVEMENT,' 'DRIVE FOR RESULTS' and 'COMPETITIVE.'"
Start seeing the power of the "I" today.
For more information on putting the "I" back in your teams, contact Gary Gzik at ggzik@bizxcel.com.
Renée Eaton is a Communications Specialist for the business consulting company BizXcel which publishes Generating Greatness, the bi-weekly ezine for business professionals. If you are ready to push your business to new heights, make more money, save time and improve productivity, then get your FREE tips now at www.bizxcel.com.
