As a football fan, immersed in the World Cup (albeit at a distance), teams are much on my mind. Sure, I’d love my home nation to succeed but my interest feels more elemental than the partisanship of fandom.
We’ve witnessed some stellar football. Some big names stepping up in tight corners and saving the day. And yet, equally eye-catching, has been the performance of some so-called ‘lesser’ footballing nations.
On paper such levels of performance shouldn’t be possible and yet when a team is truly a team performance transcends – it is greater than the sum of the individual parts.
Egos are suspended in favour of unity. People pull in the same direction, stretching to the shared objective. Trust flourishes and binds. Communication seems almost telepathic. And there’s that indefinable, elevating quality of spirit, flowing through individuals and the collective. We can’t see it, as an entity, but we can sure feel its presence.
And all this applies in organisations too. Leaders fostering a culture of relationship, trust, feedback and challenge, of respect, valuing members equally and avoiding the ‘oh that’s just Fred’ let offs for a bad behaving ‘star’ performer, of open and honest communication, will bring more out of their team than seems possible on initial assessment. Collaboration blooms, along with innovation.
Of course, this suggests the leader treating everyone the same. That’s important when it comes to fairness, extending opportunity and the like. But they’re part of the what. The magic is in the how.
Treating people as individuals sounds obvious. Yet, we might consider how well we really understand each of those we’re responsible for. What communication style they respond to. Whether they’re more reflective or prefer to dive right in. What matters to them in work, and out. What they aspire to. Among many other factors that are unique to the individual.
If we’re not investing in the relationships that unlock this understanding, we’re hobbling ourselves and the team. And if we are putting the effort in, we’re likely to have a team that’s winning irrespective of its individual talents.