And the pandemic has put leaders and their teams to the test.
Do you know anyone who believes she or he did it him-or-herself and that success was due to his or her own efforts or brilliance? There are people who are special and gifted, yet even they need help to succeed.
The odds that one person is solely responsible are extremely low because success often includes scale, alignment, functional specialists, some luck and teamwork. Always teamwork.
There are numerous examples of professional athletes who had outstanding results on a particular team at a particular time who were unable to replicate that success elsewhere as a highly-paid free agent signing.
Even the athletes who compete individually are supported by teams of managers, masseuses, coaches, psychologists and fixers.
In sports and business, we are there to compete, to develop winning strategies and tactics, engage the right people and provide the necessary resources and support. And we do best when we create high-functioning teams.
Corporations, professional services, not-for-profits and early-stage companies all require teamwork, it’s just how teamwork manifests itself is dependent on the business model, culture, resources and leadership.
And being part of a team is something that is highly valued. In a 2021 survey of former clients (sample of 130), 98% agreed with the statement, “Business is a team sport.”
Most executives I know believe the pandemic has been the single greatest test of their teams, processes and personal ability to deal with the challenges of leadership, including relying on and trusting colleagues and employees. Can I reference working remotely?
Patience and resiliency have also been tested in an unprecedented fashion and corporate cultures have been under pressure to help employees through the storm. Kudos to the HR teams in so many organizations!
Like many, I have played on winning and losing teams, and interestingly it is how my coaches and teammates handled themselves that has stuck with me, not so much how or why we won or lost.
What we achieve is important but how we achieve it is as well, because consistently successful teams are built on leadership and trust. Sounds a lot like a strong foundation for teamwork.