Can You Build The Team You Need To Succeed?

I have been lucky enough to play a couple of different sports somewhat competitively; basketball through school and in age group and provincial rep teams, and club rugby.  I have also enjoyed playing different sports socially - indoor netball, indoor cricket, cycling and more. 

While I am by no means the first person to compare sporting endeavours to business I nonetheless thought I'd share a couple of things I have observed about teams.

I really did enjoy my years playing basketball.  The teams I was part of were by and large well coached, drilled and practised.  The whole team worked hard to get one person free for that open shot.  Basketball, like most sports, is a game of numbers, averages and statistics, but put simply it is about someone getting into a position to take a shot while not allowing the opposition to do the same.  Every play, set move and action is geared to these two things.

A weakness in a team member's ability might be evidenced by throwing bad passes, missing too many shots, letting your opposite player get free for a shot or being out of position.  However, the consequence of these weaknesses is probably only losing.

Rugby, on the other hand, has a whole lot more to its team work.  Players need to bind a scrum, lift a line out jumper and return him to the ground carefully and join rucks and mauls correctly.  If they don't, teams don't just lose, players get hurt. 

And then there is a golf team.  It is an altogether different team dynamic.  It seems that, despite some strategy and tactics being discussed before each round, each player goes out and plays their best, the scores are added up, and they win.... or not.

What kind of team do you work in?  A team where people play their own game and add their scores at the end of the quarter or financial year?  Or a team where people are drilled and practised and work together to do the business?  Or a team where peoples' welfare, enjoyment and success depends heavily on their work mates?

Most managers and leaders talk about the need for their employees to work together as effective teams.  Yet many of those same people have no idea either a) what kind of team they need to support their business objectives, or b) how to build the kind of team they have figured they need.

All three team types are valid in their own context.  The question is, which is the most valid in your business, and can you build it?

Cheers!