The Power of Teamwork
Today I’m feeling incredible appreciation for my team, who always pulls together when one of us is in need of help. This time that person is me. My dad has been in the ICU for over two weeks fighting a life-threatening infection. This type of illness is so rare that they had to send him to University of Penn for treatment.
In 2017, I started a journey via a local business owners group whose specific focus was creating businesses that could run with or without the owner. I took that to mean with or without anyone in the business. I wanted to offer my team flexibility and the opportunity to take off for vacation or for family emergency without returning to a mountain of work. Here are a few of the principles that have been a part of that journey:
Cross Train. Anything you do at least one other person on the team should know how to do.
Consistent Procedures. Any information in your head should be documented in a way that someone could pick up the pieces if you need to drop them.
Know the waterline. If you are faced with a decision that might put a hole in the boat if you get it wrong—but that hole will be above the waterline—make the call or ask a teammate for advice. If the wrong decision could sink the ship or cause a big impact, consult with multiple teammates to get input. Rely on the wisdom of the team to get you through. (Usually that “team consult” includes me, unless of course I’m in a hospital waiting room in Philadelphia!)
Be Humble. Sometimes that means asking for clarity. Sometimes that means asking for help. It’s okay to say, “This is my first time working on this, and I’m covering for a teammate.” You won’t always be the expert.
Learn and Grow. To create a cross-functional team, comfort zones are not really an option. You can’t stay in your bubble (and neither can your teammates) if you are going to cross train successfully.
Family First. Always. Sometimes that means a couple of us need to work extra hours so that a teammate can take care of a parent or sibling or child in a time of need. Make it happen.
I won’t pretend we have mastered the points listed above with perfection. But as a team we’ve made great progress. I owe a lot to my business group in pushing me towards a better, smarter business model. They have inspired and challenged me. And I deeply appreciate my team for their ability to step up and step into the deep collaboration required to make this all work. Teamwork is a powerful force.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a