6 Questions to Evaluate Your Team

Social media gets a bad rap, and it is not undeserved. People hide behind their screen spewing out opinions and hate that they would never do to a person’s face. But it is also a great avenue for people to share experiences and perspectives in an effort to help others. To build connections and provide support to people who may have felt isolated historically. 
 
Breaking the “dumb jock” stereotype that was prevalent growing up, tech savvy coaches are jumping into social media with both feet and making an impact. Athletic coaches focus on leading their teams and building connections with their teammates. They actively share with others focusing on making the community stronger while consuming the knowledge of others and adding to their own coaching/leading toolbox.
 
I was reviewing some old notes that I had jotted down in my journal and found a screen capture of a tweet from @AreteHoops that was a great message for those involved in athletics but honestly, for any activities in life. That is what I love about sports and why I write - life lessons are everywhere and if you are open and willing to reflect, you can find those nuggets of wisdom where you least expect.
 
This specific tweet wasn’t just geared for coaches, but for the kids and parents as well. There are a lot more facets to who is on the court/field than skill or last name. It’s not an exact science so there will always be debate and complaints. Many people like to highlight the stats or for those in business the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) but that only tells a small piece of the story. People say stats don’t lie… but they do deceive! 
 
I love to share the wisdom of Lis Wiseman that she shares in her books Multipliers and Impact Players. She talks about the difference between High Contributors and Impact Players. High Contributors do their job.  They perform at a high level and are critical to the success of the team. But Impact Players do the job that needs to be done. It is the team that has the most Impact Players that will typically win the game. 
 
So many times, Coaches get caught up in on-court coaching trying to get the immediate win instead of understanding the bigger win that exists. In the workplace, managers will focus on deadlines and their project completion and miss out on the journey towards reaching their vision.  They miss out on the impact players have on the culture and the culture that is placed on the players.
 
6 Ways to Think About Playing Time

1. Who are my “Best 5” instead of who are “My 5 Best”
2. Who do I trust the most
3. Who trusts each other the most
4. What combination of skill sets makes sense together
5. Who has earned it
6. Who brings an irreplaceable skill on the floor

 
When you review the 6 items shared by Arete Hoops above, ask yourself those questions about your team at work. Is the “playing time” distribution correct? Would you make some substitutions if you could?  Think about the teammates you have had over the years that you admired and ask how would they stack up on this list? Now, take it a step further, and reflect on how well you fit on these items? Is there a relationship for how you perform or engage others with how you feel you are being treated by your manager?
 
Whether on the field or in the meeting room, coaches and leaders want to win. That is how they are measured. Thankfully, in healthy organizations HOW they win is becoming increasingly important and that is what sets apart the successful programs and companies from the one-hit wonders. When you review those 6 questions, you realize that while the questions are being applied to individuals, it really isn’t about the individual at all. It’s about the team and advancing the team’s success over the individual's success because when the team wins, the individuals win as a team. Accepting and embracing that is what helps you win Beyond Today.

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