One of the greatest football coaches of all time, Vince Lombardi, once said, “Teamwork is what the Green Bay Packers were all about. We didn’t always have the greatest talent. We didn’t do it for individual glory. We won because we loved one another.”
Great teams are successful because they care. They care about their team’s goals, their team’s purpose and most importantly, they care about each other. Caring about the team is the fuel that allows ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary results.
What I have observed is that there are 5 common characteristics that successful teams share. I have summarized those characteristics below:
1. Successful Teams Understand the Big Picture:
Every leader must understand the mission and purpose. Furthermore, it is the leaders duty to ensure that every one of their team members understand the big picture, understand how they impact the big picture and fully embrace the fact that the more successful they are in their role, the more successful your company will be, which will in turn enable you to invest back into them, your company and your communities.
2. Successful Teams Have Fun Together:
It is a fact that the more a person enjoys what they do, the more successful they will be. Are you creating an environment within your team that is fun? Are you allowing your team members to enjoy you and enjoy each other? Successful teams don’t have to constantly look for creative ways to have fun, they just have it!
3. Successful Teams Are Transparent and Real:
The more real you are with your team, the more real they will be with you and each other. When this happens, trust and camaraderie develop which inspires each team member to become committed to the team and to the mission. Successful teams consist of team members who are committed to the team. If your team members are not committed, then they are not … there is no in between.
4. Successful Teams Celebrate Victories:
Big or small, successful teams recognize and celebrate victories on a regular basis. You will find out that the more you praise and celebrate, the more reasons there will be to praise and celebrate!
5. Successful Teams Don’t Avoid Conflict:
Over the years, I have observed that the more committed team members are to the team, the more comfortable and likely they are to disagree and challenge each other. Committed teams know how to fight! Committed teams say what is on their mind, get issues out in the open, respect each other’s views and work towards an agreeable resolution. The cool thing is that once they agree, the issue is resolved and nobody else will ever know there was a conflict.
Teams will excel when true teamwork exists. Teamwork can only exist when individual team members trust and care for each other. If there is no relationship, there is no trust. Events like company picnics allow us to get a chance to know your team members outside of the daily pressures of work. It is a time to develop relationships. I encourage leaders to find ways to engage their teams in activities that will build teamwork and maybe someday, propel their team to accomplish extraordinary results.