“Teamwork is not a preference, it is a requirement.” ~ John Wooden

You know a great team when you walk into their environment. When good teamwork is present you see it, hear it, and feel it when you meet the people, walk through their space, listen to the cadence of communication among the team, and experience the pride they have for their work and each other.

Here are 3 essentials of great teamwork:

“Make sure team members know they are working with you, not for you.” ~ John Wooden

1. Clarity and Empowerment – Have a compelling and challenging goal with resources and timelines defined. Quest the team members to define the plan and milestones to achieve it. Always remember empowerment works when you are clear on the goal, the resources, the timeline, the compelling need to achieve the goal, and the belief and trust in the team members that they have the capability and passion to win together as a team.

“The best way to improve the team is to improve us.” ~ John Wooden

2. Courageous Conversations – The ability to speak your truth to the team is critical. When there is 100% no holding back on what is on each persons mind and they come to the table ready to listen, integrate, collaborate, and find a path forward the solutions are effective and good. While this sounds easy, it is not. It takes emotional maturity to play at this level on a team. When a company invests in developing the skills and tools to create trust, respect, support and open communication among team members projects and results soar. The ability to get and give feedback becomes the muscle that each team member builds to create great outcomes as a group.

“Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all. That defines a team player.” ~ John Wooden

3. Cheer and Celebrate – When a mistake is made, they tell the truth and define a new path forward. They don’t let failure hold them back they use failure to cheer each other on to get up, get better and get on with it. Once the group hits a milestone they celebrate. Milestone celebration is crucial because the better the journey the better the outcomes.

Practicing these three essentials will lead to creating the kind of team that achieves great results, attracts other great team players and brings the environment to life that celebrates the people and the company.

“Loyalty is a cohesive force that forges individuals into a team.” ~ John Wooden

Great teamwork makes the dream work!