The SmartCompany Olympics challenge: Javelin throw – Spear in on a problem area

Teams today are overwhelmed by the pressures of driving business results. The ever present factors that can derail a team’s best intention to serve the business often get in the way of this goal.

All of which affect performance and business results. As a leader, you know what these factors are for your team. If you are unclear, invite someone new to a few of your team meetings or to shadow your team for two days; they will get it. Ask for their feedback. It will often come down to some of these factors:

• Team members working with an individualistic focus
• Lack of team connection to purpose and direction
• Poor communication skills
• Poor behaviours
• Lack of consequences that allow the above factors to thrive

When you look at the list of factors derailing your team’s success, what’s the one that if you resolved would make a difference to your team?

Teams are made up of individuals who each desire to be part of a strong, high performing team with a healthy and positive culture. No one in your team said, ’My dream is to be part of a low performing team that has culture of negativity’. Yet sometimes individuals find themselves in just that.

What could be possible for your team if you came together and focused on one problem area in your business operations that could be improved?

Game plan

To do this you will need a game plan. Think of the type of plan that an Olympic team might develop to achieve their goal. They look at their resources, where their strengths lay and take care of themselves (sustainability) so that they can perform at their optimum. Your game plan is also the basis for your action plan.

Who needs to be in a brain-storming session to identify your target? Team members, stakeholders, clients? Only invite key people, otherwise it will become unmanageable.

Team resources

Looking at team resources gives you clarity and agreement (as a team) on what you have to work with:

• Look at the playing field – where are you currently?
• Who are your sponsors?
• Who are your team champions? (The people who want you to succeed, mentors)
• What resources do you have at your disposal?
• What currently exists?
• What are the constraints?
• What are the budget allocations?
• What has already been done that you can leverage off?
• What history/baggage are you bringing?