“If an organization is led by a team that is not behaviorally unified,” writes Patrick Lencioni in his book, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business (Jossey-Bass, 2012), “there is no chance that it will become healthy.” As he continues, “Becoming a real team requires an intentional decision on the part of its members…. teamwork is not a virtue. It is a choice - and a strategic one.”
I think Lencioni is spot on with his comments about behavioral unity and team work being an intentional choice. After many decades of doing this work, I have observed this happening. It is the one thing that separates the good teams from the best teams.
Yet, when we dig deeper into Lencioni’s writing and research, we gain an important insight about why this is such an important choice. As he writes, “The reason that behavioral accountability is more important than the quantitative, results-related kind has nothing to do with the fact that it is harder. It is due to the fact that behavioral problems almost always precede - and cause - a downturn in performance and results.” The point he is making is that by building greater trust, learning to engage in unfiltered discussions about ideas, making a commitment individually and collectively, plus holding each other accountable, we are able as a team to do one very important thing, namely to achieve results over time.
I think most people miss this important point. They believe that cohesive teams just feel better about each other. And this is true but the key is that teams that have behavioral unity are much more likely to achieve results over time and to nip problems related to achieving results before they become toxic or malignant to the organization.
This week, create a plan to become more cohesive as a team. This strategic choice will make a difference in performance and results.
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