Who needs a team, I can do this on my own!

Said no one at the Paris Olympics, not even the solo performers.

As a Brit, and ex-pat living in Australia, I am often torn between who to support in the Olympics, World Cups, Ashes Series, Tour de France etc... but I have to say, I am immensely proud to describe myself as a Brit, not because of the many superb performances that achieved medal positions, but for the common message that came from every British athlete that was interviewed.

I first picked up on this when two female athletes, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryl Neita finished 4th and 5th respectively in the 200m final. With beaming smiles, when interviewed immediately after the event, they both said:

"I gave it my all. I left nothing on the track. I am proud of my performance and immensely grateful to the team that have supported me for the many years spent preparing for the games. It is such an honour"

Neita went on to finish 4th in the 100m and was equally graceful in defeat, repeating the same message. It continued throughout the games, weightlifting, diving, archery, rowing, cycling, the list goes on. This got me thinking about the power of positive psychology and the attitude of gratitude. Hats off to the GB backroom team, coaches, trainers, medical staff, and psychologists etc.

We learn so much from sport about teamwork. How to be part of something bigger than yourself, acknowledging the input of everyone around you and accepting your part in helping them to also experience a sense of achievement is such an important lesson for all leaders and followers.

In a previous blog, I espoused the importance of being a good follower:

To become a good leader, one must first learn how to become a good follower

Not to be confused with a social media follower, a follower is defined as someone who acknowledges the focal leader as the primary source of guidance about the work, regardless of how much formal authority the leader actually has over the person.

A leader in this sense, is not necessarily an appointed leader, rather it is someone who steps forward when required, and in effective teams, this can change depending on the task at hand.

Unlike a subordinate who has no influence on the leader’s intellectual decision making, a follower is empowered through delegation and consultation and feels a sense of responsibility and ownership for the success of a plan. This was displayed in abundance by our athletes as they transitioned from being the focal point of the team, to a player in a bigger team in the blink of an eye.

As Maxwell said in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, a leader's primary responsibility is to develop followers into leaders. (#13 The Law of Reproduction, and #21 The Law of Legacy)

Lencioni's seminal work on the dysfunctions of a team provides a superb starting point for addressing the principles that lead to becoming a great team:

1. Absence of Trust

2. Fear of Conflict

3. Lack of Commitment

4. Lack of Accountability

5. Inattention to Results

The GB team clearly had all of these areas covered.

Teams that trust one another, do not give in to the temptation to place their departments, career aspirations, or ego-driven status ahead of the collective results that define team success.

As a leader, you are responsible for the culture of your team. Addressing each of these dysfunctions requires knowledge and skill. To learn about how to identify what is stopping your team from becoming a high performing team, book a free coaching session by visiting my website.