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Teamwork: Secrets of Success from Fortune Magazine |
Fortune explores many facets of teamwork in its June 12, 2006 edition. Among the interesting observations:
We’ve all heard (and perhaps repeated) the adage that “there is no I in teamwork”. That’s not altogether true…. Teamwork is, in fact, an individual skill. Humans aren’t hardwired to either succeed or fail at teamwork; we can go either way. And becoming skilled at doing more with others may be the single most important thing one can do to increase his value—especially top managers or business owners. Indeed, blaming a “bad team” for one’s difficulties is, by definition, a personal failure since the very notion of teamwork implies a shared responsibility.
While the concept of the dream team, fed by our infatuation with sports, has become irresistible, dream teams comprised of superstars often turn into nightmares of dysfunction. The 2004 Olympic basketball team, comprised of NBA stars, finished third…while the 1980 Olympic hockey team which beat Russia for the gold medal was built explicitly on anti-dream team principles.
For one successful method of choosing team members, consider steel processor Worthington Industries.When an employee is hired to join a plant floor team, he works for a 90 day probationary period, after which the team itself determines if he stays. The system works because much of the team’s pay is performance based.
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Is a lack of teamwork holding your company back? Contact Matt Childs for help in building your team by clicking here!
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As always, conditions are changing. Inflation has crept up above 4% and the Fed has made it relatively clear that it will continue to raise rates if necessary to curb inflation. While the economy has continued solid growth through the first half of the year, most expect that growth to at least decelerate in the coming quarters. 
