And that is the key question. Does everyone on the team understand the
team's reason for being, it's objective?
Are they on the same page? This
might seem fairly obvious. But you would
be surprised how often the root problem with teams revolve around this
issue. To go back to my rowing story for
a moment, I mentioned that the four I rowed with in 1986 was extraordinary
because of, among other things, their laser sharp focus on the goal at
hand. We were totally committed to winning the world championship. It was the first crew I had ever been with
that had that objective. But wait! You might say. What about the other national teams I had
been on? Weren't they committed? No.
They were not. Because if they
had been, we would have won.
The inspirational leader can never assume that just because
he is committed to the cause, everyone on his team is also. That would be an enormous mistake. But, it is a mistake made more often than
not, with teams and their leaders in business, politics, sports or whatever. We all have different objectives, that,
unless we are asked, (and even sometimes if we are) remain hidden. For instance, in some of my other national
team experiences, it became evident, usually after the fact, that many rowers
never thought winning the world championship was a real possibility. Their objective was to make the team. It was to wear the uniform. It was to make the trip to Europe. It was to make the Olympics. It was to whatever. But it wasn't to win. This is a constant phenomenon. That is why professional sports teams are
always looking for veterans who have "been there". They hope that the veteran's savvy can help
get everyone on the same page, where winning the championship becomes the only
objective. It is why teams so often fold
easily in the playoffs. Usually, these
first time teams are "just happy to be there".
And it shows.
In business, the case is no different. We are all limited by what we think is
possible, not by what we can truly do.
Many times, we are just happy to have gotten the contract, to have
completed the project, to have partnered with an impressive company, to have
achieved the goal at hand. It can take
so long to believe in ourselves enough to reach for the stars.
Being on the same page means trying to match everyone's
objectives to the main objective as closely as possible. I remember being asked to coach a group of
female rowers once, whom I had been assured, were dying to win the national
championship. My first practice, I went
around the room and asked each one of the 25 present what they wanted to get
out of the summer. Not surprisingly, I
got about 20 different responses. Some
wanted to be recreational rowers. Others
wanted to make the Olympic team. Some
thought it was best not to practice too much, others thought it was prudent to
never stop practicing. They represented
all levels of rowing, and yet they all professed to be part of the same
team! Were they? Of course not. They were part of what could be considered
several different teams. They all had
different goals. It took me a little bit
to get them all on the same page, but for the most part, by the end of the
summer, they were, and they ended up winning six national championships.
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