Taking lessons from some sporting examples

8 boats instantly groaned under the weight as they were launched down the 2000 metre course. The blades of the oars were flying in synchronicity through the air then entering the water in perfect unison. The coxswain barked orders as us, communicating exactly what we needed to do. He also kept us informed of how far we had travelled, how fast we were travelling, where our competitors were and how many strokes per minute we were rating at. Each of us kept focused straight ahead as we powered through the water fast enough to tow a water skier. We could hear bubbles of air moving under the shell of the boat, signifying that we were perfectly balanced and moving very quickly. After 250 metres we had settled into a strong rhythm, occasionally breaking into sections of 10 hard strokes to maintain a position alongside our rivals, However, despite this, we were drifting behind and, after 5 minutes, with only 250 metres to go, we were 5th out of 8 boats. I couldn't believe what was happening! How was it that we were losing this race even though we were doing everything that we had planned? It was at that point that the magic started to happen...

Dream Team ‘Building Blocks'

The skills, attitudes, goals, expectations and key ingredients that make up any high level sporting team are the same as those that are required to be an effective corporate ‘Dream Team'. It is for this very reason that so many famous sportspeople go on to become motivational speakers and authors consulting to the business world. With the 2008 Olympics in Beijing on our doorstep, we will be witness to some amazing displays of synchronicity and teamwork that will result in record-breaking achievements. Rowing offers one of the purest models of teamwork in sports, as does its Chinese cousin, dragon boat racing. So, what similarities can be drawn between a sporting team and working in an office?

At the crux of it all, ‘Dream Teams' share 4 major characteristics. No matter if it is the Olympic gold medal wining 2004 Chinese women's volleyball team (who Paul discussed in our cover story), the team at Google, the Ferrari Formula 1 Pit Crew or the winning dragon boat crew in the national dragon boat festival held last month - they all possess the same 4 key traits. In this issue of Network HR I will outline the first two, and then, next time around, I will look at the others.

Common Goal

The most important characteristic of any team is having a common goal. You may have the most talented individuals working for your company, but unless their skills and energy are focused on achieving a desired end-state, they are merely a waste of resources that are not contributing to your company's mission and vision.

Many of my local work colleagues and friends stayed up until 2am to watch the Soccer World Cup qualifier between China and Qatar on June 2nd. The energy was electric as China defended resolutely against the relentless attack from Qatar. The Qataris had several attempts at goal, but none of them were successful. Now, imagine if you will, at half time the goal posts or ‘nets' are removed from the field. The players run back on to the field and take their positions. The whistle blows to start the 2nd half. As the players look around, they realise that the goals have been removed. They begin passing the ball back and forth between each other in confusion, not knowing which direction they should be heading or where they should be trying to aim their offensive attempts. After a minute or two of aimlessly passing the ball back and forward the referee blows the whistle, the game stops and the players look around in confusion.