KevinTest
Unity is the key. Whether we’re talking about a sports team, work team, school team, seal team, church team, or home team (family), it’s essential that we get everyone on the bus and moving in the right direction with a shared vision, focus, purpose and direction. When a team comes together, and stays together, they are able to succeed together.
But if unity is so important then why aren’t more teams more united you might ask? Why are there so few great teams and so many average and dysfunctional teams? The answer is simple. It’s not easy to bring people together. Agendas, egos, politics, power struggles, negativity, poor leadership, mismanagement, complaining, whining, and a lack of vision, focus and purpose all prevent a team from uniting and performing at their highest level. Leaders, how much of this can we prevent?
The bad news is that there are hundreds of negative forces and factors that can sabotage your organization, teamwork, unity and success. The good news is that unified teams show us it is possible to overcome them. There is evil around us everywhere, destroying families, undermining work groups, and tearing down churches. Supporting, and keeping our Teams together is the most important thing we can do. Christ said we, the people make up the church, and I’m saying the unity of the people is most important on any team.
Unity happens when leaders are committed to and engaged in the process of building a united, (successful) winning team. It requires focus, time, and energy. Unity occurs when team members care more about the vision, purpose, success and health of the organization than they do their own personal agenda. Changing or developing the mindset is essential. Unity happens when each person on the team can clearly see how their personal vision and effort contributes to the overall vision and success of the team. This involves meaningful conversations, and exchanges. This results from weeding out the negativity that sabotages far too many teams. The dissolution of a team, of any kind, is painful.
The great news is that the process of unification of a team, no matter how long it takes, is a beautiful thing. Think of how awesome a father daughter dance is at a wedding; think about what the perfectly executed football play looks like. I have heard from leaders who have increased their productivity and performance by simply developing unity. I don’t think any of this is difficult, it just requires COMMITMENT. When all members are committed team unity is a foregone conclusion. I wish that for you and your team.
Leaders are we promoting unity? Fathers are we supporting and being involved in all aspects of our families lives? Pastors are you making periodical visits to all outreach ministries? Bosses are we involved in our companies off property gatherings? Commanding officers, are we spending time with our men, in the real difficult time, the off time and the training?
I have to be the first to admit; I am not doing all I could be.
Photo credit: koalazymonkey / Foter.com / CC BY
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Photo credit: Neil T / Foter.com / CC BY-SA
I had never really pictured the Father-Daughter dance as a testament to unity. But, I guess it rally is.
Thanks for the challenge to strive for greater unity in all of the teams that have us as members or leaders.
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Unity in a Team is a big deal. There has to be a connection outside the “Team”, it makes everyone closer, and more apt to watch each others back.
Great article. I know I’m struggling to find common ground with a team I’m on right now. Some of my struggle is my strong “A” personality. It’s seems to be more challenging than normal. Two different agendas being cramed into one environment has become difficult at times.
I wish I had an easy answer. But I don’t. And, truthfully, it is old guys like me that are part of the problem. We sometimes have a hard time recognizing or accepting real leadership ability when it comes from one who is younger than we are or comes at the end of short fuse. But, you are a leader. And you should continue to push for your position up until the team decides on a direction. Then, we all need to fall in line with that.
I have an article that I plan to publish next week that deals with two kinds of leaders. Elected leaders and de facto or influential leaders. You have influence but you don’t have the ultimate position of leadership. And that is hard sometimes.
What are some other thoughts from the LV community?
Corey…sometimes you need to temper your type A personality and trust the other team members are doing what needs to be done. You will come across as arrogant and not willing to be a team player. You can only control yourself and not others. If you suspect you are going to butt heads with an older GOAT…then don’t. Learn the way they achieve their goals. If you work in the oil industry and the company I suspect you work for…just bide your time. Sometimes you need to swallow your pride, anger, opinions, and just follow. Sometimes you can lead by following.
I have to disagree with the commitment aspect of unity. Only because I can be committed to disunity and achieve the opposite result. I am a graduate of the Lencioni School of Teams. I believe the number one dysfunctional attribute of a team is LACK of TRUST. You are not going to have unity until you have trust.
Lenioni in his book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, states that Trust is the foundation to any team. Without trust, the team is not open to new ideas…Invulnerability.
Which causes a Fear of Conflict. This fear causes the team to have a false sense of unity. Leniconi calls it Artificial Harmony. Everyone just puts on a façade to get along and nothing gets accomplished…because overall no one trusts their team mate.
Ironically, this leads to Lack of Commitment. The teams goals languish in ambiguity.
Lencioni goes further to add that the next layer is an Avoidance of Accountability producing low standards.
Lastly, the team cares less about results…leaving only Status and Ego for the team members.
I recenly heard a Sport analyst comment on the recent NBA finals-“The Spurs have a better TEAM. The Heat have better players.”
Uhhhmmm…the last I remembered basketball was a Team sport.
Ultimately, I would not trust Lebron with my team goals.
Trust is the key.
Why does a daughter dance with her dad…Trust.
Thanks Kevin. Can’t wait to see the article next week
Rene,
I went to a leadership forum a couple years back and was doing better with controlling myself after that class. Need to revisit my notes and try again. Thanks
Corey raises a common issue in situations where everyone on a team or employed by a company is a Type A personality. Imagine trying to actively manage an all star team of professional athletes…what does that coach or manager actually do? Just being on such an all star team can be a challenge for the individual who is required to take a different role on the team than he or she is used to.
Some observers say firms like XOM (where I work) hire only Type A folks which creates both friction and profit. The individual team member really needs to understand what is happening and take accountability for his or her own behavior. For a young person, or for a new member of an existing team, this is a challenge, indeed. When I have been in this sort of position, I purposefully stand back a bit and let the guys with “gray hair” and lots of relevant scar tissue (or in my case, describing myself and my teams, what I call “the fat old guys in the corner office”) run the show – knowing that I will find my leadership role on the team soon enough. Sometimes leaders must be patient with themselves and their teams in order to allow each strength and ability to contribute bloom.
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