Sep 6
Who says there is no “I” in TEAM?
It is commonly said, there is no “I” in team which is true when you spell it; but there is no “O” or “U” either so why does “I” get so much attention? It’s because we have overvalued a vowel to make a point. This cute little saying has been perpetuated but does it serve the team? What changes when you consider the importance of “I” on a TEAM?
During the spring I had the honor of watching the Volvo Ocean Race with sailing legend Nick Maloney. I was in awe of human capacity as I watched 7 teams leave Newport, RI to begin the next leg of their 9-month 45,000 nautical mile journey. During this race, boats crewed by teams of 8-10 people face harsh weather, primitive living conditions, minimal sleep, and are “on call” 24/7 for the sole purpose of seeing their name etched on the Volvo Ocean Race Trophy (there is no prize money). As we cheered the teams leaving port, Maloney mentioned the pushback he gets when he speaks to companies about the importance of “I” on a team.
Maloney explained when you are facing life and death situations you want to know each team member is the best at what they do. The importance of an individual’s specialty makes them so valuable you don’t want to lose them. As a result, everyone works together to ensure the team stays together. These groups of people live at their limits. They must trust each other as they endure reef crashes, broken masts, torn sails, physical injury and even death at sea while overcoming the emotional rollercoaster of missing family milestones (births, deaths and everything in between) back on shore.
Fortunately, most corporate situations aren’t life-threatening but we are facing the death of engagement in the workplace. Gallup surveys indicate 67% of the US working population is not engaged or is actively disengaged in their work and 51% of employees are searching for new jobs or watching for openings. Maybe it’s because people no longer feel valued as individuals – most employees are expected to decrease spending, accomplish more, work longer hours and accept lower wages or no raises. Additionally, a lot of team time is spent focused on the negative caused by a few. Have you ever attended a team meeting where the manager spent 25%-50% of the time discussing what isn’t being done and everyone in the room knows s/he is talking about someone specific (or the minority of the group) but the manager won’t directly address the individual?
What happens when managers identify and encourage the gifts of each “I”ndividual? What is the long-term impact of a corporate culture that inspires “I”ndividuals to value one another at a such high level that members support each other, build each other up and work together to get the job done? What changes when managers reward (and reprimand) the “I”individuals that make-up the team?
Although there are more questions here than answers, it is clear for the brave individuals who come together to face the open ocean in the world’s most challenging race that “I” is vital to a team. After all, the “I” can exist without the team but the team cannot exist without “I”ndividuals.
NOTE: Next month’s In The Office will explore the benefits of behavioral understanding to pull out the best in each individual to maximize team energy, output and morale.
Laura Treonze, serves as Chief Life Strategist with LMT Consulting, which helps executives and teams create massive success through self-awareness. Her life-changing approach has transformed individuals and families and has redefined the way non-profits and corporations “do” business.
