Team Building

Working effectively alongside other people means working in teams. Here's where I get controversial. Working in teams involves a lot more than just talking to one another. Working in teams involves a lot more than recognising eachother's strengths and weaknesses. Working in teams involves a lot more than just avoiding conflict. That is communication but only at the most basic level.To build a really effective team, you need to be a good leader and, as with leadership, my views on team building may be seen as unorthodox. Building a really effective team does not happen overnight.

"You can't put anything past playing together for 3 years. Nothing people can give you surpasses going out there and playing with each other.....but one thing this side is being built on...is the pride and passion of working for each other." Luke Narraway (back row forward, Gloucester Rugby) quoted in the Citizen.

TEAM BUILDING HERESY

Before you even consider engaging me for team building, I suggest that you read the following to get a flavor of where I’m coming from. On this subject, I’m a heretic.

The Managing Director of a company is addressing his sales force at the Annual Conference. For the 4^th year in succession, sales growth has beaten all previous records. More and higher bonuses will be paid out than in any previous year. The company is the third largest in the world (in its market) but it is growing faster than any of its competitors and the M.D. confidently expects that, “within 5 years, we will have overtaken the two companies ahead of us.” To cap everything, this company has a larger portfolio of new products in their pipeline than any of their competitors. The future, for the next 10 years at least, looks secure. “Ours,” he concludes, “is the company you want to be with.” According to every measurable parameter, he’s right; yet, within the next 12 months, 5 out of 6 of his sales force (several hundred reps) will leave and join companies that are not performing anywhere near as well.

WHY?

A National Sales Manager is addressing his sales team. This is not the annual conference. The meeting has been called because the company is in serious trouble. The sales team has performed well, generating record orders. But, a serious problem has arisen on the production line. Unless a solution is found quickly, it will not be possible to meet customer demand. Some of their best customers will be forced to go to their competitors. In spite of an outstanding performance by the sales team, no bonuses will be paid this year. Redundancies cannot be ruled out. The Sales Manager pulls no punches, concluding his address by saying that he will understand the position of anyone who feels compelled to seek employment elsewhere. It is several months before the crisis is fully resolved but not one sales rep leaves …..Not one.

WHY?

The above are true stories. They really happened. What was the difference? I’ll give you a clue. It had nothing to do with “team building.” If you worked for the first company, there was a huge budget set aside to enable you to build rafts, abseil down cliff faces and ride quad bikes around muddy fields. The second company did none of that; so what was the secret?