What It Takes to Be a Team

I’ve been reminded lately about the value of teamwork and how amazingly powerful it can be at work. I’ve watched as some very impressive teams have formed and begun to work together. This experience has led me to consider what the elements of a successful team are. Here’s what I’ve come up with:

T-rust. The “T” in teamwork stands for trust. Without trust, a team cannot function effectively. Of course, it takes time for trust to be built. No team starts off with a high degree of trust. It’s something that must be carefully nurtured. But once trust is developed, it’s a critical contributor to the team’s success. No team will succeed without it. If there isn’t trust, there is no team.

E-veryone. We’ve all heard the old saying, “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” And while that’s true, I believe that the “E” in team stands for everyone. Everyone needs to feel that he or she is a part of the team in order for the team to function effectively. That isn’t to say all roles need to be equal, but everyone must have a role and all must understand its importance. Everyone must feel a part of the team for it to truly be a team.

A-cceptance. “A” stands for acceptance. Each team member must first accept that he is a part of a group of individuals that has come together for a common purpose. Each team member must accept that she must subordinate her self-interest for the good of the team. Each team member must accept that his success depends on his teammates’ contributions. Without acceptance of these basic tenets, it’s not a team — it’s just a group of individuals.

M-eaningful. The team’s work must be meaningful to fully engage its members. If a team doesn’t have a clearly defined purpose, it’s doomed to fail. You cannot bring a group of people together and expect them to work effectively together if they don’t have goals and a mission. The work that is being undertaken by the group must be meaningful for the team to succeed.

W-in. “W” is for win. A team must have the opportunity to win in order to come together successfully. This might come from competing against other teams or from achieving the team’s stated purpose. But make no mistake, a team must recognize the opportunity for success to fully come together and function as one.

O-rder. A successful team must have order and organization. Any time you bring a group of individuals together and ask them to function as one, you must have order. Order comes from leadership in the group. Someone must provide the structure necessary for the group to function effectively and efficiently. Order comes from communication and direction. It’s critical that someone on the team provides order so that they can act as one.

R-espect. Without respect, a team isn’t really a team. That’s respect for the team, its rules, and its leadership. The other day, a number of the players on the NBA’s Detroit Pistons decided to skip a team shoot-around to show their discontent with the team’s coach. Instead of respecting the team’s leader and its rules, they put themselves ahead of the team. The result was that in the team’s next game the coach played only those who had been at the practice. With only six players available for the game, the team was woefully undermanned and lost the contest. Team members must have respect for themselves, their teammates, and the team’s rules.

K-nowledge. The “K” in teamwork stands for knowledge. Each team member brings his or her specialized knowledge and skills to the team. What makes a team truly effective is the ability to bring the distinct knowledge and skills of the individuals together in a way that allows for the team to meet its objectives. The best quarterback in the NFL cannot be effective unless he has linemen in front of him who can block and receivers who can catch his passes. Understanding what knowledge and skills each team member possesses and how the team can benefit from them is crucial to the team’s success.

Many factors go into the formation of a successful team. It takes everything I’ve outlined here and more. But when a team comes together and begins functioning as one, it’s an amazing thing to watch. So much can be accomplished through teamwork.