(Here’s an excerpt from my book, WIN: Simple Insights to Help You Win the Game of Life)
I love team sports. Individuals work together in teams to accomplish a goal that no one person could do alone. I’ve been on some really good teams during my athletic career. Looking back, the best teams didn’t have the best players if measured by their individual skills. While speed, strength, and agility define an individual athlete, unity and chemistry define successful teams.
Leaders often make a terrible mistake when assembling teams. They assume that they need a collection of individual superstars to win. I’ve heard corporate managers say that they will only hire ‘A-players’. Great individual players don’t always make great teammates. In their search, these managers overlooked solid performers that would have added tremendous value to their teams.
Good teams, as a whole, are more valuable than the sum of their parts–the individual players. The individuals on good teams function well as a unit. The synergy among them raises the level of everyone’s performance. They communicate and cooperate. They don’t rely on talent alone.
Don’t just look for great players. Rather, build your team with individuals willing to cooperate to achieve a common goal.
“Baseball always has been and always will be a game demanding team play. You can have the nine greatest individual ball players in the world, but if they don’t play together the club won’t be worth a dime.” – Babe Ruth