A new slant on team work…I have changed my position.

I previously wrote that teamwork is defined as follows: each person on a team acting independently towards achieving the same goal.

I must now acknowledge that I have adjusted and changed my view about this definition of teamwork and propose the following analysis as being more on point. In other words, my view is now different.

A team is most effective when it acts as a team, with the team members are working together to achieve mutual goals, team goals. The operative word is together, as it is not about a few all stars carrying the day acting individually, earning more for himself and carrying the team to company set goals, it is far more effective and far more success will be achieved if the success is based on an entire team effort and if each team player understands and supports that goal and meaningfully contributes with their own individual success being second in importance to the success of the team.

In other words, even if you indiviualy hit 3 for 4 or hit a home run and score a few runs or pitch a great game or make a great play, whats the point if the team loses the game?

Stated differently, if the best player accepts his responsibility for a team effort for total success, then his efforts need to include helping other team players be the best they can, supporting them, training them, passing off to them when appropriate, bunting to score them when required and generally acting selflessly while playing for the benefit of the team as a whole.

It makes little sense if the best sales person gets the best sales leads and converts them to the most sales if in so doing the remainder of the team feels worthless and unproductive and ineffective, and thus performs well below the requirements but stand in awe of the all star who they feel will do it all and save the day.

A better realization is if the all star hands off some great sales leads and supports or helps the other team member close the sale, and perhaps even help the person achieve his goals so that that person becomes a better salesperson and a larger contributor, what a huge success the team will achieve.

The company achieves a greater team effort and perhaps another competent salesperson is being trained to help the business grow and prosper. Even if the other employee may not be a superstar in the making, if everyone contributes the overall success is greater and the business does better and everyone reaps the benefits, including the lower producer and the supporting superstar

Further if the remainder of the sales force is only allowed to pick up the crumbs and do a poor job in the face of a few great closers, the team will not function as a team and there will be none of the magic that occurs when people work together to achieve more then they could if they work alone for their own personal gain.

From a company point of view, superstars come and go, the team remains, if there is no team spirit, team training, and team support between the team members its not really a team and when the all star goes the “team” will be dysfunctional.

In fact the all star will find out in the end that if he unselfishly helps others his own sales effort will improve for many reasons that are difficult to measure but do occur.

He will get better at his craft by the mere act of training others. By holding others accountable for their own success and supporting their reaching it he will achieve support back for his own efforts and this will result in greater success for him as well and of course there is something magical that happens when a team plays together and wins, they end up accomplishing far more then if left to act as individuals, thus its a huge win for everyone including the all star.

One important way to create this team effort is through a bonding program which creates trust, respect, loyalty and care between the team members. If done the team will stay together longer, the team will grow more successful and the team will accomplish far more then the individuals can without team support. This happens because everyone cares about each other.

This should be the approach and goal of any team manager, creating a team understanding and support program that results in a bonding experience were team members want to help support other team members unselfishly and for the benefit of the entire team.

The interesting result is it such selfless acts come back home and even the all star experiences a higher quality of life and greater earnings for everyone including the individual as well as the team and the company.

Thus should apply to production teams, office teams, where ever a team can be formed and maybe even a whole company team effort as well is in order.

The only leap of faith required and left to the manager to create is this bonding which will support greater interaction and care and bigger team results as well as greater individual results. The additional leap is convincing the all star that he too will benefit from such a commitment, more then if he did it on his own.

For the greatest individual growth and development and ultimate success to occur, the individual must understand that the team is more important then the individual and with that attitude the individual will benefit along with the team. Call for help 413-549-2966.