Stop Calling It a TEAM Unless You Have These 6 Essentials

A few days ago, I decided to stay for a while at my son’s soccer training and watch him play. Over the last season, he has grown tremendously as an athlete, and as I observed the dynamics and energy within his team, I was inspired and in awe of the effortless elegance with which they moved the ball around. There were laughs, cheers when they scored, and encouragement when they missed, followed by a “let’s get it back” attitude. Watching them play made me realize something profound: many companies use the word “team” liberally, but they don’t have a real team. What they have is a group of people reporting to a manager. Many are tossing the word “team” around without really understanding what it means, and therefore, they are missing the opportunity to leverage the synergy and magic that can be created with a real team.

This observation inspired me to explore what truly makes a team and what businesses can learn from the sports world. Here are the six essential components of a winning team and how to transform any group of individuals into one.

1. Clear Vision

A winning team starts with a clear, compelling vision. In the sports world, every player understands the ultimate goal: to win the game, the season, the championship. This shared vision drives their dedication and strategic collaboration. Similarly, in the corporate world, leaders must establish and communicate a clear vision that aligns every team member’s efforts. When everyone understands and commits to the same goal, the team moves forward with purpose and coherence. However, many leaders stop at using the overall company's vision and goals, which can feel distant to employees. To truly spark internal motivation, every leader needs to be clear about their own vision for their specific team, ensuring direct alignment and engagement.

2. Shared Leadership

In team sports, leadership isn't confined to one person; winning teams embrace shared leadership where different members step up to lead in various ways—some give directions, others motivate, defend, or coach—boosting autonomy, accountability, and ownership. Corporate teams can adopt this by encouraging members to lead based on strengths, fostering an empowering culture where everyone’s voice matters, promoting cross-functional collaboration, providing leadership development opportunities, and recognizing instances of leadership. Embracing shared leadership creates dynamic, accountable, and effective teams.

3. Diverse and Complementary Skills

A successful team is made up of individuals with diverse but complementary skills. In soccer, you have strikers, midfielders, defenders, and goalkeepers—each with a specific role and skill set that contributes to the team’s overall success. In the corporate world, we often hire for different functional or technical skills, but that’s just the beginning. Teams should be composed of members with various backgrounds and cultures. This diversity not only enhances creativity and problem-solving but also ensures the team can handle a wide range of challenges effectively. Each member’s unique skills and background should be recognized and utilized to achieve the team’s objectives.

4. Trust and Mutual Respect

Trust and mutual respect are the foundation of any strong team. In sports, players trust each other to perform their roles and respect each other’s contributions. This trust allows them to play seamlessly and support each other under pressure. In the corporate world, building trust and mutual respect is equally important. Recently, during a roundtable discussion, Moe Carrick introduced the term 'Psychological Bravery'. This concept revolves around feeling safe to show up authentically, and take action to speak up, try new things, or take risks without fear of negative consequences from others. It’s about experiencing authentic empowerment—a deep sense of agency, enough-ness, and confidence. When team members have Psychological bravery, they are more likely to contribute innovative ideas, support each other, and engage fully in their work. This trust and mutual respect foster a collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to work together towards common goals.

5. Cohesion and Team Spirit

Cohesion and team spirit are what set truly great teams apart. In soccer, players who share a strong bond and team spirit play with more enthusiasm and support each other through ups and downs. This camaraderie translates to better performance on the field. Yes, what you do at work matters – but what happens at work is similarly important. The relationships your team members build will determine how far they will go for each other. Fostering a sense of cohesion and team spirit can lead to higher productivity and job satisfaction. Team-building activities, open communication, and celebrating successes together can strengthen these bonds and create a positive work environment.

6. Mastery Mindset

A winning team is characterized by a mastery mindset. Athletes continuously strive to improve their skills and performance, driven by a passion for excellence. This relentless pursuit of mastery can be applied to the corporate world as well. Encourage your team members to adopt a growth mindset, where they see challenges as opportunities to learn and improve. Provide opportunities for professional development and continuous learning. When everyone is committed to personal and collective growth, the team’s potential for success is limitless.

If you look into your own corporate teams, how many of the above elements can you truly check off? Do you have a TEAM, or do you have a group of people coming together during meetings to update the rest of the team and then move on with their individual work? If it’s the latter, then it’s time to rethink your approach.

Creating a winning team requires more than just bringing people together; it demands a clear vision, shared leadership, diverse skills, trust, cohesion, and a commitment to mastery. If your team is missing these key elements, it’s time to make a change. Transform your group of individuals into a cohesive, high-performing team that can achieve extraordinary results.

Ready to build your winning team? Send me a DM, and let’s work together to make it happen.