We are used to hearing about team chemistry when it comes to sports. Coaches apply some mystical spell on their team and suddenly everyone is moving in the same direction or no one buys into it and the team falls apart. It’s binary and all about the coach. Sometimes there’s the “on-the-field leader” who is bringing the team together as well but it’s just a branch of the same logic about the coach.
The reality is much messier. Teams aren’t successful simply because of their leader. They are successful because each individual on the team understands the job, strengths and weaknesses of the people around them. They are successful when they pick each other up and play to their collective strengths. They are successful when they can communicate effectively when the “leader” isn’t around.
Simply put, success starts with each person on the team knowing what needs to get done and how they can best do that while taking into account how everyone else is doing the same. There are no duplicated efforts, there are no useless activities, there is no faulty communication, there are no incorrect assumptions.
The job of the leader is to ensure that the team is given an environment to thrive in. No two teams thrive in the same environment because the work and individuals are different each time. Even the same team that was successful in the past can fail in the future if their approach no longer matches the work that needs to be completed.
True leaders understand these variables and can adapt to make it work. They understand that sometimes you need to make your team uncomfortable while other teams you need to hold their hand. The way you treat one member of the team is not the same way you interact with others. There’s planning and thought put into every interaction.
Teams are what get things done. How are you helping build your team to get the right chemistry?