Teamwork — Business — The Seven Essentials of Great Teams
The best leaders of business teams would be successful athletic coaches — you are all coaches. There is a big difference between leaders and managers: do you have a team, or just a group of people who report to the same person? Think of the best team you were ever part of, as a player or coach. Why was it special? Was it good because you won, or did you win because you had built a good team?
Two things to admit: (1) teams are not for everyone, and (2) most teams happen by accident — there is no plan, no roadmap, no shared vision. People wander into the season, and the team develops an identity from the experience instead of establishing its own identity beforehand. The steps to building teams are consistent and predictable; teams do not happen by chance — they happen by design. Most leaders talk about having a good team but don't take the action. Teamwork is the one sustainable competitive advantage that is largely untapped — you can get more done, in less time, with less cost. It is worth it.