| After moving to Vancouver a number of years ago I | | | | Focus on providing data based performance feedback |
| joined a corporate Dragon Boat Team. At the time I | | | | to the team including the impact of current |
| wanted to find a way to get fit after being in the office | | | | performance both positive and corrective. Team |
| all day and I wanted to be on the water. It was an | | | | members need to get objective feedback on their |
| amazing activity where I developed a number of great | | | | performance and what plan corrective measures to |
| friendships that I have today, long after the team | | | | improve. |
| dissolved. | | | | Number 4: You train long and hard for a short and |
| There is no end to the books and articles on | | | | intense race |
| teambuilding. But it was Dragon Boating that provided | | | | Plans mean nothing if the team is not able to achieve |
| me with a simple yet poignant metaphor for the | | | | its goal. Teams work hard, often on long term projects |
| experience of building and maintaining a high performing | | | | but realize that the measure of the value of the work |
| team. I reflected on how my team evolved from a | | | | is in implementation. Results are the measure of a |
| group of individuals interested in Dragon Boating to a | | | | team's success. |
| cohesive competitive team where each member of | | | | Focus on the ability to achieve exceptional results. |
| the team understood how to leverage his or her | | | | Number 5: There is no "luggage" in the boat; everyone |
| strengths and downplay weaknesses, their fit in the | | | | contributes |
| group and how to best contribute to the performance | | | | Boy, we all have bad days, but guess what, the team |
| of the overall team. It was a remarkable experience. | | | | deserves your best even on those days. We all cover |
| AND it was fun. | | | | for each other when it is needed but everyone |
| As you read through my 10 points I want you to reflect | | | | contributes.. |
| on your current team. Are any elements missing? | | | | Focus on helping team members understand their |
| What difference would it make if the success factor | | | | contribution and seek opportunities for them to apply |
| was present in your team? Would it help your team to | | | | their strengths more often. |
| reach its potential? In my experience there are very | | | | Number 6: Treat other teams with respect but don't |
| few teams who reach high performance. | | | | get distracted |
| Fast Track the Path to Success | | | | In the heat of a race it is easy to notice where the |
| I often work with people who want to increase the | | | | other teams are in the race and get distracted. But |
| performance of their team. If you are a team, then | | | | you can only control what happens in your boat not |
| why not be the best team you can and produce | | | | theirs. There is nothing you can do about what |
| exceptional results for your organization? How do we | | | | happens in their boat. You have all the control over |
| get there? What do we need to do? | | | | what you do in your boat. A team with a strong start |
| The following article points out what my experience | | | | may not have the stamina to complete the race by |
| has shown me to be some of the critical success | | | | continuing their opening speed. Focus your attention on |
| factors. For those of you who Dragon Boat my | | | | your purpose and the results. |
| comments may be familiar. For those who do not | | | | Focus on what the team can accomplish with the |
| dragon boat, it is my hope that the fun metaphor | | | | resources it has. |
| causes you to reflect seriously on the performance of | | | | Number 7: There is always more to learn |
| you team. | | | | No matter what your role or how long you have been |
| Number 1: Timing and technique are more critical than | | | | with the team, or how many races you have been in, |
| power and strength | | | | there are always things to learn. Not matter how good |
| In many sports individual performance, strength, agility | | | | you are you can always be better. The coach would |
| etc. are the focus of attention. The first skill the coach | | | | move us around to different positions so that we |
| worked with us on was to have the entire team row | | | | would learn new skills and perspective. |
| in time with the same technique. It is amazing that a | | | | Focus on ensuring that everyone on the team is |
| team with less brute strength can outperform a | | | | actively learning all the time. |
| stronger boat on timing alone. This is the | | | | Number 8: The lead paddlers (strokes) set the pace |
| 1+1 is >2 principle in action. This does not mean that | | | | There is incredible benefit from everyone on the team |
| individualism is lost, but that individualism serves the | | | | working in concert towards the same goal. Leaders in |
| overall purpose of the team. Otherwise, you are a | | | | the team set the direction, provide visible support for |
| group of individual contributors in a working group, but | | | | the values of the team and hold themselves and |
| not a team. When all the paddles stroke in time the | | | | others accountable for the performance of the team. |
| boat moves faster than the boat with stronger rowers | | | | Everyone is accountable to be in time with the strokes. |
| who are not in time; using their energy against each | | | | It is not ones business but mine to watch and pay |
| other rather than focusing on their timing and technique. | | | | attention. Remember, one person out of time can cost |
| Focus on ensuring that members of the team are | | | | a race. |
| working toward the same goal. Everyone on the team | | | | Focus on leaders holding themselves and other |
| should be able to tell you how they contribute to the | | | | accountable for success. |
| purpose and goals of the team. | | | | Number 9: You paddle as hard on a bad day as on a |
| Number 2: There is no replacement for a talented | | | | good day |
| steersperson | | | | A manager friend of mine said to her employees after |
| With a good steersperson, whom the team trusts, | | | | being challenged about the lack of loyalty in the |
| each paddler is freed up to focus on their job. They | | | | organization, "I do not want your loyalty, I want your |
| are not worried about other boats, what direction this | | | | commitment." It is important the each member of the |
| boat is going, how the boat will navigate the wake etc. | | | | team is fully present all the time, whether in practice or |
| In fact, the real job of the steersperson, beyond the | | | | in competition. |
| technical ability to steer to boat, is to instill confidence in | | | | Focus on every individual on the team performing their |
| paddlers. The team does not lose energy distracted | | | | best everyday. |
| by problems that they cannot solve but on achieving | | | | Number 10:Teams win and teams lose, not individuals |
| the goals of the team. | | | | In Dragon Boating, teams win, not individuals. The entire |
| Focus on team leadership that allows members of the | | | | boat crosses the finish line or it does not. The people |
| team to perform their roles knowing that 'things' are | | | | at the front of the boat or the steersperson do not get |
| being taken care of. | | | | more of the 'win' that others. The team wins or the |
| Number 3: One person out of time can cost the race | | | | team loses. We are all one team. |
| for the whole team | | | | Focus on being all one team. Individual skills, style, |
| This sounds like the inverse of number one. It is about | | | | experience and knowledge all contribute to the work |
| what happens when even one person behaves in a | | | | of the team. At the end of the day, we are all one |
| way that compromises the performance of the team? | | | | team who achieve the results or not. |
| This is where the steersperson and coach come in. | | | | By ensuring that these top 10 success factors are |
| Often the individual does not know that their | | | | implemented you can develop your team's |
| performance is putting the team's performance at risk. | | | | effectiveness. We hope that these 10 Success |
| It is seldom about willingness or even the ability to | | | | Factors helped you to reflect on the factors that need |
| perform but rather an understanding of the impact of | | | | to be considered and planned a highly effective, high |
| their performance. Feedback is critical in ensuring that | | | | performing team. |
| the members of the team move forward together. | | | | |
