Working together

I was listening to some friends playing an online game together earlier and through the bantering and bickering that was flowing back and forth it seemed that they were not doing all that well. They did manage to win the game, but only because they were playing against a remarkably stupid computer AI. Against real people their overall lack of strategy and tactics would likely have fallen flat. Just because there were several of them on the same team it did not mean that they were playing as a team.

What do I mean by this? At the beginning of the game they were all placed on the same team but they each had their own idea of what a good way to win the game was. And each was putting into play their own plan for how to make that happen. The problem with this is that their plans were mutually exclusive. Each plan called for each person to  be in a different location than the one that every other plan called for.So far we have not learned a way to be in two or more locations at once, so while any one play may have worked all of them together were bound to fail.

To work together as an effective team only one overall plan could be enacted. Elements from several of them could have been incorporated as long as they did not count on any one person being in two locations at the same time.

What should have happened before the game is that one person should have been selected as leader and everyone should have agreed to follow that person's instructions. It is not possible to have five different leaders on a five person team because you can only follow one set of instructions at a time. A team will almost always beat a group of individuals each doing their own thing.

One may not always agree with the plan and strategy of the leader but if you do not follow it, it can not work. It may not anyways, but if you do not follow the plan you will never know. If you follow it and it does not work, at least you are not to blame for the failure. Then afterwards you can take your turn as leader and show why your way may be better.By each taking a turn leading the team, you can find out who is best suited for leading the group. And if you each have an open mind, you can all improve your skills by learning from one another.

Also before the game started strategy and goals should have been discussed. To be a successful part of a team one must be aware of their role and what is expected of them before game time. Each person needs to know what is expected of them at any given moment. Knowing ahead of time how the game works and how the opponent is likely to respond in a given situation is good also useful. That way contingencies can be set up, on the fly, for the major changes that may need to be made to the overall plan, in order to ensure victory.

To sum up, being part of a successful team is about having a good leader, constructing a flexible plan, following instructions from the leader even if you disagree with them and most of all working together.

Be a leader, but...

To a lot of people, it feels good to be the center of attention. It is exhilarating to be the one to make the touchdown or sink that final basket or get a grand slam. The most popular person in a band is often the lead singer and the person that people remember the most in a movie is the lead actor.

We all have a burning desire to do our best.  But for each person our best is something different. Sometimes there is someone that is more qualified to fill a role than we are, even when it comes to something we are passionate about. For example, I absolutely love music. But if I were in a band, there is no way I could or would be the lead singer, not if we wanted the band to be successful. My singing voice just is not up to par. And although I'm pretty good with rhythm, drumming probably would not be a good choice either. What I am good at and could eventually be truly amazing at is keyboard work. I could also do well with guitar after some more practice. And for some back-up vocals my voice would be fine.

Not everybody can be THE superstar of the group. While it is true that everyone can and should strive to be a leader, each group can only have one person at the head. A football team has the quarterback. Movies have lead actors. Bands have lead singers. Countries have presidents or kings.

The important thing to remember though, is that without support the leader can accomplish nothing. Think about it. If the quarterback shows up alone to a football game he can't win the game.  Without his team, he is nothing.  If the director, supporting cast and all of the crew do not show up to make a movie the lead actor is useless. Without musicians, instruments and recording equipment a lead singer might as well just be singing in their shower. AND even world leaders cease to be leaders when they cease to have support.

That is the great thing about being part of a team. Yeah, there is one guy who gets more of the glory, but he also gets to shoulder more of the responsibilities and have to deal with more of the crap when things do not go well. But, it is the effort of everyone combined that makes the finished product worth having or viewing. Each person is important in their own way.

Do not get stuck in the rut of only being okay with being the superstar in every aspect of your life. When you have too many chiefs and not enough indians, as the saying goes, everything falls apart. Each person's ego gets in the way and much of the energy of the whole project gets wasted. The likelihood of failure shoots through the roof and there are hard feelings on all sides. Take your ego out of the equation. Make a fair and honest assessment of both your abilities and those of others around you. Then if you are best qualified to lead do so. But, if you are not, step back and join the supporting cast. Or if that is not something you can see yourself doing, walk away altogether.

I, for one, would rather be in a supportive role, boosting the spirits and abilities of others, on a successful team, instead of being the egotistical leader of a team that is failing because the wrong man is in the lead role.