Teamwork Equation
Teamwork Equation
Today I made a presentation for a client. The theme was delivering results and the asked me to focus on Teamwork.
Obvious connection to make as I have rowed and it is widely regarded that rowing is one of the ultimate team sports.
It required me to dig into some old experiences to set the context and that included sharing some stories about the Oarsome Foursome. A powerful element of the Oarsome Foursome experience that I am so fortunate to have be apart of was the exposure to a most simple equation. It’s in it’s simplicity that the inherent challenge sits, but for the purpose of the session and for the bases of the experience with the four it was quiet simply, process = outcome.
For years I have understood this to mean that if we focus on the process the outcome will take care of it self. This is true to a degree, but today I had some clarity around what the many layers of the process involved. With each layer it becomes more complex and as such difficult to articulate. In the 1996 crew Noel Donaldson, Coach and Michael Mckay we instrumental in driving the process or more importantly the ability to communicate and align us to the process that we had all agree would produce our desire result.
It was always clear that we wanted to win gold at the games. How we would do it was less clear and needed some critical and focused work to bring about the changes and improvements that needed to occur to get back to the front on the field.
Today as I reflected on the simple equation I attempted to put into words what I felt was the defining elements of the process. Remembering that much time has passed I was conscious of not repeating the old cliché, but rather for the first time in many years I trying to dig in to my memories to find clarity.
Some thing that had always bothered me was the notion of teamwork and the need to combine with others. Rowing plays on the perception and yet teamwork I feel had been missing something in many of the conversation and discussion I have been part of over the years. Today it was staring me in the face, competitiveness is required and in fact it is the start point. Why is it such a surprise? Well it is almost like a natural first reaction we all have and yet as far as teamwork, collaboration and harmony are concerned it is as if competitive is a negative within the team. As the popped up I thought it requires balance and with competitiveness, working together and leadership it is a dynamic, energetic and vibrant relationship that multiplies, maximizes and enhances the outcomes.
So then from the simple to the slightly more complex I felt that this equation made sense of the Oarsome Foursome experience.
Harness Competitiveness + Access Abilities To Work Together + Developing Leadership Capacities = Desired Outcomes
Today I made a presentation for a client. The theme was delivering results and the asked me to focus on Teamwork.
Obvious connection to make as I have rowed and it is widely regarded that rowing is one of the ultimate team sports.
It required me to dig into some old experiences to set the context and that included sharing some stories about the Oarsome Foursome. A powerful element of the Oarsome Foursome experience that I am so fortunate to have be apart of was the exposure to a most simple equation. It’s in it’s simplicity that the inherent challenge sits, but for the purpose of the session and for the bases of the experience with the four it was quiet simply, process = outcome.
For years I have understood this to mean that if we focus on the process the outcome will take care of it self. This is true to a degree, but today I had some clarity around what the many layers of the process involved. With each layer it becomes more complex and as such difficult to articulate. In the 1996 crew Noel Donaldson, Coach and Michael Mckay we instrumental in driving the process or more importantly the ability to communicate and align us to the process that we had all agree would produce our desire result.
It was always clear that we wanted to win gold at the games. How we would do it was less clear and needed some critical and focused work to bring about the changes and improvements that needed to occur to get back to the front on the field.
Today as I reflected on the simple equation I attempted to put into words what I felt was the defining elements of the process. Remembering that much time has passed I was conscious of not repeating the old cliché, but rather for the first time in many years I trying to dig in to my memories to find clarity.
Some thing that had always bothered me was the notion of teamwork and the need to combine with others. Rowing plays on the perception and yet teamwork I feel had been missing something in many of the conversation and discussion I have been part of over the years. Today it was staring me in the face, competitiveness is required and in fact it is the start point. Why is it such a surprise? Well it is almost like a natural first reaction we all have and yet as far as teamwork, collaboration and harmony are concerned it is as if competitive is a negative within the team. As the popped up I thought it requires balance and with competitiveness, working together and leadership it is a dynamic, energetic and vibrant relationship that multiplies, maximizes and enhances the outcomes.
So then from the simple to the slightly more complex I felt that this equation made sense of the Oarsome Foursome experience.
Harness Competitiveness + Access Abilities To Work Together + Developing Leadership Capacities = Desired Outcomes
Comments
A thought on the team-building and sporting team analogies. The issue we generally face in comparing the two is that a sporting team generally has a shared goal, a dedication to a process, and they want to be there.
How do you tailor presentations to a situation where, although there may be a shared goal, the agreement on a process is often absent, and there is a dichotomy of outlook.
Some who are enthusiastic to be there, some just serving time, and some actively destructive.
Thoughts?
And remember: 2- 2008/9...
AT