Teamwork
Have you ever been in
a situation where things just seemed to “go right” for a team? Everything went the way it should have done,
people completed tasks on time, the result was what they wanted…?
This is teamwork at its best, but to understand what it
looks like “in action”, we sometimes need to see the “pros” at work. Two simple examples help here. The first is to watch any top team playing in
an international rugby sevens tournament.
A clip from the
2017 Hong Kong Sevens tournament shows how a small team of players rely on
each other to score in a fast-paced game.
They’re always in the right place when needed, they look for
alternatives when their path is blocked and they can put on a burst of speed to
outpace the opposition. Their moves and
passes are timed perfectly and have clearly been practised a number of times.
The second example shows the famous “Gun Run” and the UK
Royal Tournament. In this, although they
all start together, team members have individual roles which may involve them
moving ahead of their mates to set equipment up before the others can use it. Everyone has their place and, if they're not
there when needed, it can lose them the race.
Some ask why playing team sports is seen as useful when
applying for jobs in the corporate world.
The previous clips show the answer, as we need to know what the team’s
objective is, our place in it, practice doing it well and then being there when
needed. Ego and seniority don't enter
into it. If the most senior member of
the team doesn't perform, the whole team may lose and it’s not a case of
passing the blame.
We can get so wrapped up in our own “area” that we forget
that others depend on us. When they
complain, we react negatively, but how do we
react when someone lets us down? “Accounts didn't process the invoice in
time…”, “HR didn't approve the (whatever) request…”, “IT didn't apply the
patch…”. We find it easy to blame others
(and it may even be the case that it was
their omission/delay that caused the problem), but are we beyond reproach? Do we practice doing things the best we can
or carry on the same old way because no one seems to notice? Could we arrange a meeting to find out what’s
holding others back, or if our team needs to get information to them earlier?
Teamwork, particularly with other departments, means
constant interaction and understanding of the other’s needs, as well as our
own.
I have spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With more than 20 years in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management. I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email . My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services. For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.
Labels: Leadership, Strategy, Teamwork
posted by William Martin @ 13:22
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