Leadership Principles: Teamwork
A while back I went to a popular breakfast restaurant on my day off. Breakfast is the one meal that not only do I not mind eating by myself but many times enjoy it. It’s a chance to pause, sip some coffee, and just take it easy. I took my seat and then proceeded to wait for my server. Then, I waited some more. What felt like ten to fifteen minutes (it was probably really only three to five) past before someone came up to me and said, “your server will be with you shortly.” As I sat there, waiting for a cup of coffee and my server I began thinking, “they would make so much more money if they worked as a team.” As a college student and young adult I worked in the food and beverage industry and I was so fortunate that my first job as a waiter was at a place the emphasized teamwork. If a server was busy, another server needed to make sure to stop by the table, get their drink order if possible, and help as they could. They had a culture of teamwork that was good for business, good for the customer, and good for us as servers. After all, a happy customer is more likely to tip well and to come back. Back to my breakfast. I finally got my cup of coffee after about thirteen minutes (no exaggeration) of sitting and placed my order. The breakfast was what I expected it to be but the service felt a little lacking. The good news is, it was my day off and I wasn’t in a hurry.
There are so many ideas and ideals when it comes to what makes for a good leader. The traits, ideas, and principles they do life and leadership by say so much about who they are. Teamwork is among the quintessentials of leadership principles in my opinion. I don’t necessarily believe it’s the most important principle or trait for a leader but it’s among the most important. After all, teamwork makes the dream work, right? But what does it take for a leader to not only encourage teamwork amongst those they lead but also function in the grander picture that is the team?
I think the first thing we have to do is create and lead a culture where functioning as a team is the norm. I’m really good at two ends of the same thread. I’m good as a visionary. Catching and casting that vision for where we are and where I believe we’re heading. On the other end of that line, I’m good at doing. I, personally, can take what I believe needs to happen and make it happen. I’ll push through and even do it all by myself if need be to make sure it’s “mission accomplished.” In between though, is the people I lead. They are wanting opportunities to step up and step out. To learn, lead, and do. I recognize this in myself and while I’m aware, I still struggle with this. When I do this though, my team isn’t functioning as a team. At times there’s an element of “I do, you watch” in leadership but that’s typically early on and hopefully brief. In a team, everyone has it’s role to play.
That leads me to my next thought. Leaders need to take a holistic view of their teams. The best leaders lead their teams well but also lead the individuals on their teams well. Even teams that function on precision have to understand a team is just a group of people with shared values and purpose. If I lead my team as a group first they are not going to truly function as well as they could or should. The best way to understand this relationship would be to understand the relationship of your mechanic to your car. Your car’s engine is one of many parts that function as a whole. In order for that “team” to do what it’s meant to do your mechanic makes sure all the parts are in the right place and are clean and working correctly. If I were to try to put one of my tech guys leading a small group, they could probably get through it but that’s not where they shine. I have to know the people on my team. I need to be able understand their gifting and abilities and then put those back to work in the team and for the team.
I think the last piece and the part that many miss. While the leader leads the team the leader the leader is also on the team. John Maxwell says,
“a leader is one who knows the way, shows the way, and goes the way.”
While no person can be in two places at once, a leader has to figure out how to metaphorically lead from out front, within, and from behind the team. The way this most makes sense to me is; visionary, guide, servant. As a visionary I have to “know the way” for my team and my organization. I have to place myself in a position of “follow me, I know which way we need to go.” As a guide, I’m on the trail with them much like a guide on a hike in uncharted areas. I do life and ministry with them in a real and at times raw way and seek to “show the way.” This is at times conversations and other times it’s stacking chairs after an event. That leads me to servant. Yes, I want to serve alongside them (i.e. the stacking chairs example I just used) but more than that I want to serve them. I want them to know they matter and they have purpose. After all, Jesus said,
“…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26 NIV)
This is at times encouraging them or maybe it’s showing some appreciation for what they do. A true servant leader will always look to “go the way” with their people.
If a team is a group of people with shared values, purpose, and mission, what ways can we as leaders bolster our teams and our teamwork? When we can do it together, everything is better.