Finding your common purpose

Matrix Key: Relationships - Staff and Colleagues -

Common Interest

“Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.” - Patrick Lencioni

Back in the day when I owned a sheet metal fabrication shop, I received a cold call from a business coach.  The woman at the other end of the phone asked "How would you like your employees to operate as a high performance team?"  My response was "Team? I would just like them to work together and to stop wanting to claw each other's eyes out!"  And so began my journey of transformation and coaching.  

One of the most important elements of balance and stability at work is to share common interests with your colleagues.  You do not all need to be friends, but is is critical that all employees be in agreement on several key elements.

In the WholeLife Matrix we define those elements as:

1. Vision and Mission
2. Projects
3. Workability
4. Meeting Deadlines

Consider for a moment an orchestra, and the many subtle and not so subtle refinements required to produce the sound that lifts and carries the audience.  The musicians need the same musical score; they must play in the same key and at the same tempo; each individual instrument must be in tune; every musician has to be committed to the performance from beginning to end; and everyone needs to pay attention to the conductor.  If any one of these factors is out of place or missing, it is obvious to the listener that something is wrong.

Likewise, for a group of colleagues to work together effectively, they need to share the same vision (purpose and values) and mission (mechanism for success).  Once these two items are in place, it is much easier for the group to align on the chosen project, work together in an effective manner, and agree to meet common deadlines.  Aligning on a common interest results with everyone being on the right bus in the right seat headed to that same destination.


Are you ready to win?

The Production & Delivery Team

Matrix Key:  Financial Viability - Production and Delivery - Team

"Individuals don't win in business, teams do." - Sam Walton

Sam Walton knew a thing or two about building a viable business.  Whether your business is a small mom-and-pop operation or the next WalMart, it will not succeed without a production and delivery team that is committed to winning the game.  Take a look at how this shows up in the WholeLife Matrix.  It's not just a matter of hiring the right people and stepping back.  Business owners and managers have a responsibility to consistently coach their teams to perform effectively on the playing field.

Successful production and delivery teams depend on four key components:

1. They have a common goal.
2. They are committed to a high level of performance.
3. They can easily define and align on their purpose.
4. They have a plan and know how to execute it.

Putting together a high performance team that can deliver on the company's goals over time is a huge part of a manager's job.  Motivating your team is an ongoing and necessary process, but it is one that will pay tremendous dividends in the long run.  If your team is unskilled and uninspired, your business will fail.  Better to devote some resources to creating teams that can win the game.

Are You Ready to Win?

The High Performance Team

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”
-Babe Ruth

When it comes to building a high performance team for your business, it helps to think in sports terms. Sports teams are the perfect model for productive businesses – they have rules, goals, the proper equipment, players and coaches.

Anything that is present in a sports game can and should be present in your business. When someone goes out of bounds, the play is over. When someone violates a rule, there is a penalty. When the players are well-coached, well-trained and working together, they will move the ball down the field and score points. The longer and better they work together, the more often they will win.

So how do you use this analogy to build your winning team? Take a look at your business just like it were a team for your favorite sport. Let’s say it’s baseball. Do you have enough players on the field? If not, you need to hire more. Are they the right players? Are they trained to play baseball or tennis? If you’re playing baseball, you need baseball players. Are they getting the coaching they need? Do they have the right equipment? Baseball players don’t need tennis racquets, they need bats. Employees need the right resources to help them produce results. Don’t spend money on a new copier if you really need a new website.

Assessing your company like it is a sports team helps you identify what’s missing, what’s keeping your business from winning. Do you have the right people in the right jobs? Do you have a deep enough bench? Are you coaching them to win or just to get by? Are you giving everyone some playing time? Employees who feel their jobs don’t contribute to the win will not give you their best effort on the field. You need the right players, in the right positions, with the right coach.

Start thinking today about what might be missing in your team playbook. Could your team use some extra coaching? Give us a call and we’ll show you how to turn your players into champions in the world of business.

Are you ready to win?