Business is a Team Sport

Business is a team sport.  But is it a hockey team or speed skating team?  

As we enjoy the diversity of sports in the Olympics, we realize that of the team sports, some are “true” team sports and others are more of an individual sport with multiple athletes being part of a greater team. For example, in a speed skating team, everyone competes at the same events and often trains together, but essentially they are performing individually. Everyone is focused on their specific solo event, so that when it goes off, it's just about them doing their job perfectly and executing on their deliverables. Then, they can sit back and cheer on the rest of the team, win or lose. The individuals can walk away proud of their individual achievement even if the team doesn't succeed. Conversely, this is very much not true for sports like hockey where everyone has to excel at their position and where the individuals need to adjust their behavior constantly to accommodate the movement of other team members, and where action is planned in the context of those other team members.

So, as a business, are you working as a hockey team or a speed skating team? 

When managing and mentoring employees, it is key to realize that many of them wish they were living in an individual sport, where they can come in and do their job well and be rewarded.  But as in hockey, the company as a whole only succeeds as a team, and it is up to the management to ensure that the culture of teamwork is embedded in the psyche of the employees.  What we've learned in the world of winning companies is that teams must work together, and the company must act like a cohesive team in order to achieve success.  It is very rare for businesses to be successful with individuals working by themselves.

Market Operandi can help you with your organizational team design and dynamics.  This is the sport that we train for.  We will help you plan out your organizational dynamics and organizational growth intelligently, particularly for hard tech B2B and fast growth companies.

Click here to set up a quick 30 minute call and tell us more about your team. You may be able to benefit from our coaching experience.