Who’s with me in missing the Olympics?
I love watching them and give myself permission to become fully addicted while the games are happening.
One highlight for me this time was the commentary that accompanied Canada’s gold medal run in the men’s 4×100-metre relay. Each of those four runners had failed to make the final in their individual event(s). None of them individually is the fastest at that distance. But together, they won gold. Why? Because they practice as a team, they emphasize smooth handoffs, and they treat each other like brothers. The result? A relay result collectively greater than the sum of the individual sprints that comprise it.
The team coaching I do is primarily with non-profit Boards of Directors. I often [rather pointedly!] tease them that boards are not often greater than the sum of their parts. They are made up of stellar individuals who rarely perform up to their potential around the board table. Why is that?
The reasons vary, but I suspect they can learn something from the Canadian men’s relay team. Dial down your ego (even if your high view of yourself is accurate). See yourself as a team and behave as such. Be crystal clear on your shared goal. Actively practice the abilities it takes to reach it, together and separately. Focus particularly on strengthening your collaborative skills. Show up ready to perform at your best regardless of what has happened in your week leading up.
And a bit of hype certainly helps. Robert’s Rules of Order aren’t that fun!
I’m grateful for the inspiration and entertainment provided by the athletes and extend my condolences to those of you joining me in withdrawal these days.
Hey R!
Super blog. I couldn’t agree more.
People ask me quite often why I left academia?
There are many and various reasons… (some have to do with wanting something more strongly elsewhere, i.e. not negative at all)
…. but one thing that is so true of my experience is that, for me at least, there was ZERO COLLABORATION on anything in our Department. Zero. Not one truly shared goal as a Department (20 profs, 5 sessionals and 3 stellar staff). Zero shared clear goals. Just individuals. (Graduate student supervision was as close as we would come; but even then, it was often the case that 2 or 3 of us on “the committee” would work individually with a single student, and only come together, truly, at the final defence.
That simply doesn’t play to any of my strengths… or play into any of my visions of meaningful work. Zero collaboration.