What does it mean to have no "I" in team?

Written By: Suzanne Hopson |  What does it mean when we hear the phrase ‘there is no I in team’? It means not working alone but to be working with others to achieve a common goal, right? Right. And so much more. While I vs. We is a mentality or shift in ones thinking about how to get to the goal, there are some very real structural components to how you build teams that succeed. The positive effect is a winning culture. This comes from shared experiences, with everyone owning the failures as well as the wins.

I recently spoke on a podcast with a co-worker of mine, Jessica Eberbach, Regional VP at RPM, regarding how to build winning teams as it has been at the forefront of what we have been working on throughout our time working together and since. We dug into the nuts and bolts of how to build a winning structure and how it really is the path to success as a team and as a company. While there are several steps to this, focusing on what steps are worth taking first, will hopefully help you on your journey to intentional team building that yields the results you are seeking.

It starts with finding the right people and ensuring they are in the right seats. What is a seat? A seat is a position that has a specific set of accountabilities and metrics that functionally contribute to the goals that the company is trying to achieve. Right people…that’s a loaded statement. But not if you clearly identify the inherent traits to be successful in the role and match those traits in the person to the seat. Right people, right seat. ¹ If you don’t start there, nothing else you do to set yourself and the team up for success will matter.

Rules to Remember:

1. Resist the urge to develop the seats around your existing team. Inevitably, you will miss a key function or trait that is necessary to achieve the goal. An example of this is elevating someone you really like, who has done well in their current seat, and now you give them the responsibility to lead a team and hold the team accountable. Do they have the want or desire to fulfill the accountabilities in the new seat? Do they possess the traits necessary to hold others accountable to the goals, to make the hard calls, and to provide constructive feedback? Maybe so. Maybe not. But often we make the mistake of putting a person in a role because we like them or because they have done an outstanding job in their current position only to find they weren’t suited for the one we just put them in and in fact, were totally unequipped to handle. Lose, lose.

2. Core Value fits matter. You have the employee that excels, they have superior knowledge in their field, they have climbed the ladder of success. Oh, and they also treat people terribly, never giving credit to the team, look at staff development with disdain, and feel that the work of others is beneath them. Ditch them. If you have a team of average producers that consistently deliver, you will do better than one lone wolf who keeps compromising the pack. The bad apple will spoil the barrel. There is a reason there is so much written about this concept. Listen to those that have come before you, failed, and lived to tell the story.

3. Provide Vision, Clarity, and the path to Execution. If you were to ask anyone in your organization what you are up for as a company this year, could they answer it consistently, clearly, and with conviction? If not, you may have not provided enough clarity around the vision. You can do this by frequently visiting what you are up to in your meetings, in communication, and in conversation. Your vision and mission should be at the forefront of all the decisions that are being made across the organization. For example, think of how clarity occurs when you ask if the decision you are about to make contributes to the vision and goals you are trying to achieve. It also helps to lessen the noise that occurs with too many focuses and directions. Is what I am working on today actually contributing to the goals? Simple.

4. The plan should be measured and communicated regularly and predictably. You have your goal; everyone is clear on the target. How are we doing? We are 3 weeks from the end of a quarter. Does everyone know if we are close? Data is important. It tells the story of where we have opportunities to course correct. And it needs to be shared. An analyst (insert any title here) in a back office knowing exactly where we stand as a company doesn’t do us any good if our front-line staff are not in the loop. Keep everyone in the “know.”

5. Provide a clear process. The winning team is in place, and everyone knows the goals, but one thing is missing. How do we get there? Companies either spend way too much time refining this area of the business around process or not enough time. You want your processes, the “how” we will do what we do, to be simple and doable. That’s why we love playbooks. They give you just enough detail to get people from point A to point B but don’t stifle the thinking that is required by your team to provide the best solution. Checklists are fantastic. Instead of paragraphs for your teams to read and memorize, give them checklists that keep them on track and ensure they aren’t missing the key points or functions needed to achieve the result.

6. Ensuring you have a culture of accountability. Are people doing what they said they would do? Are the conversations being had about why or why not a goal was achieved? A culture of accountability means that people own their functions, their metrics, and their deliverables, and they are speaking up when they need help. It is up to managers of people to create an environment where people feel safe doing this. One of our core values at here2elevate is Trust. Period. It has unleashed such power and freedom for our group to accomplish what they are setting out to do. It doesn’t mean that we don’t hold people accountable to do what they say they will do. And it doesn’t mean people won’t make mistakes.

Probably the most important part of building winning teams aside from what was mentioned so far is your role. In a leadership role, are you getting with your teams regularly in their work, gathering feedback, and communicating the needs? Are you walking the talk? Lastly, are you celebrating the wins in a meaningful and specific way? If so, great job. You are probably winning, and your people are too.

¹ The Entrepreneurial Operating System®, Gino Wickman author of Traction