Teamwork in Sports and Business

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” Michael Jordan

For most of us, our first “team” experience occurred before we were ten years old. It may have been a school soccer team, little league baseball team or neighborhood “pick-up” game. We learned to play the game, and to cooperate with others. “Do your best, and have fun” was, and is still, preached by many good coaches.  In little league, I learned to do my best to help our team, the Saratoga Dairy, to win, and to avoid doing anything that would help the other team win. Fun was often added by getting a hit, or making a good catch and clowning with other kids and the coach. More fun was had just “hanging out” when our generous coach took us for ice cream occasionally—always after a victory.

A good leader can add to, or subtract from, the team’s attitude and effort. I also heard of a coach who took only the boys who hit at least one home run for ice cream at the halfway point in the season. Of course the other kids felt like cow dung. Their parents were enraged, and phone lines screamed all over town! The coach was immediately released from his volunteer job as coach, and replaced. But wait a minute. It’s way more than just a good leader. How many teams have you known of where the team succeeds despite a not-so-good leader?

Some teams are successful; others, uh, not so much. Our little league team never won a championship. Still we had a good time, and our self-confidence was kept intact. Other than leadership, why is it that some sports teams grow synergy and collective intelligence, and achieve success—while others experience decades of doom and failure. In New England, we have many recent examples of success at the professional level to examine. After more than eight decades, the Boston Red Sox finally won a World Series in 2004.The Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots have all won at least one championship during the so-called “uh-ohs.” The New England Patriots came within 37 seconds of winning four out of six NFL Super Bowls in 2008! As this article is being written, the Patriots have earned the right to home field advantage for the 2010 season American Football Conference (AFC) playoffs.  If they win two more playoff games, they will win the AFC Championship, and will play in the Super Bowl against the National Football Conference (NFC) Champion. How have these teams, and others, achieved such remarkable success? Aside from top-notch management and leadership, it was teamwork.

In my forthcoming book, about improving teamwork, I compare eighteen “Characteristics of Successful Teams” in politics, music, sports, business and government. The book expands on the research in those areas. Here is what I hope you will find to be an entertaining and enlightening glimpse at two of the characteristics, from the field of sports.

1. Define Ground Rules and Conformity. Teams in organized sports are almost always governed by a rulebook. The Little League World Series now includes teams from six continents. All follow the same rulebook. You can see the standard rules that little league teams must conform to at www.littleleague.org.  All high school, college, and professional sports leagues have their own a rulebooks. The rules for all sports attempt to provide a level of fairness, in which neither team is favored, and consistency in the application of the rules. Baseball games at every level have a set number of innings, during which each team gets three outs per at bat. Additional structure is provided by the schedule. When and where are games played? All players and coaches must conform to the rules. Every player who violates the rules is penalized in some way.

From my view, this fairness and consistency is usually achieved in baseball, football, and soccer.  Basketball on many levels seems to lack this level of consistent application of the rules. Many times, players have left bleeding, and no foul was called. It now seems to closely resemble the “schoolyard” quality of game that we used to play. It has become a contact sport.  Forearms and elbows are used as weapons. Holding another player, and restricting that player’s movement is now generally ok most of the time—depending on the referees assigned. In my opinion there is just too much leeway. Taking three or more steps without dribbling the ball is known as “traveling”, but is often ignored. The “three second rule” is applied inconsistently from game to game. Conformance to the rules is too loosely enforced.

In business, whether you work for the public sector or the private sector, you have responsibilities for which you are evaluated every year. Most managers and leaders attempt to be fair and consistent.  You are a member of the organization “team.” Maybe you are on a few project teams.  Find out what the rules for acceptable behavior on the team. Ask people. Is it ok to show up between six and nine a.m., or must you be at your desk by eight a.m.? You must conform to the organization’s rulebook—its Policies and Procedures and other guidelines. Try to conform to the project schedule, your team needs you. If you choose not to conform, you are given corrective feedback. If you choose not to follow the feedback, there are problems.

2. Clarify Roles.  Ensure that you know what is expected of you.  In team sports, each person has a role. In little league baseball, I played outfield, catcher, and pitcher. Sometimes, in the same game I would pitch, then play the outfield. In baseball, football, softball, basketball, soccer and other sports, roles are defined, usually very precisely. Baseball and softball players “play” a position, such as pitcher or first base. In most cases the person playing the role of a pitcher in the game of baseball attempt to throw the ball baseball “over the plate.” Sometimes a pitcher will give an “intentional” walk, to a dangerous hitter.

Each football player knows what they should do, depending on the particular position they play. The center “hikes” the football to the quarterback. Tom Brady’s usual role on the New England Patriots is to throw passes or hand the ball to a player who will run with the football. On some plays he also blocks an opposing player. The point is each football player knows what his role is.

When you are hired, or assigned to a team in the public and private sectors, you are hired to perform the responsibilities of a particular position, such as project manager. You may be asked to facilitate planning for a project, then to monitor and control that project.  If you are a project manager, you are also a key member of your team. Get clarity about the scope, schedule and budget.  Find out when and how the role changes.

In summary, know the rules that you have to live and play by, and talk to everyone necessary to clarify your role. Make yourself a player that everyone wants on their team!

©2011, The Sterling Planning Group. Used with permission of the Sterling Planning Group.