Most of us operate in teams – whether they are called teams or not. This can be in work, at home in our families, in community groups, sports clubs or many other places. Any time we are collaborating with and relying upon others in order to achieve an objective, we can refer to this as a team. Those who have played team sport may be at a slight advantage when it comes to understanding how to achieve results but may not understand the impact on relationships with other team members or psychological impact on themselves when making typical sacrifices required to meet a sporting goal. From a work perspective, or in other settings – objectives may be more important but are likely to have less urgency attached than in a sporting context, a medical emergency or other high-pressure situations. Therefore, a different style or approach might be used, which leans on empathy and the emotional intelligence of those involved. One vital element of great teams, which from my experience is widely misunderstood is the ability to *leadfrom within*. There are many reasons why this might not occur, such as cultural norms, a hierarchical structure, ego, lack of belief and self-awareness. However, all it takes is for any individual within a team to have the motivation to improve the team dynamic and they can begin to influence the behaviour of others and therefore the behaviour of the team. There is so much literature and content out there about teams, and through studying, practicing, reflecting and observing – a number of pillars have emerged for successful teams. The Google ‘Aristotle’ project is one of the most extensive quantitative studies on teams, and these pillars reflect that study:
Each team member should understand the direction the team are travelling and understand the value of their contribution. Their role and responsibility should be very clear and suit their individual strengths. Each member delivers what they are expected to, when it is expected. The environment is safe, so that each person can be comfortable being vulnerable, admit mistakes and be their authentic selves. The focus of the energy and work should be purposeful and genuinely matter. Find Out More: Organise a 30-45-minute session, free of charge with The Game Plan to understand more about yourself, or your teams. Avail of The Game Plan’s special offer for the EXCAPE community. Arrange here: https://calendly.com/the-game-plan/excape-coachingUseful resources:
