All Blacks, Winning Teams, Successful Business

Unless you are a hermit crab you can't live in NZ and not get caught up in the rugby fever. Nothing galvanises a nation and 4.5 million people like the AB's. It's unique!

Watching the games in this cup what has impressed me about the AB's is the teamwork. At its best it's seamless, the ‘in the flow’ experience where the goal is clear and everyone supports each other to achieve the common objective, winning.

Teams in business are no different. After years of working with leaders and teams around the world three things really resonate with me, be it in sport or business. I heard them again a few weeks ago when I caught up with one of the legends of the AB's.  Listening to him I heard these same three things and they hold true for all teams, rugby, rowing, hockey the list is endless.

Firstly it’s the importance of humility! Successful teams have no room for big egos or inflated self-worth. The second factor is the role of elders, and the wealth of experience they bring to the team. Every team needs a way of maintaining continuity and sharing the experiences. And finally it’s the ‘sum of the parts’. Success comes from all the parts working closely and smoothly together just watch some of the skillful AB's passing and you will see it action they never doubt that their teammate is not there to back them up.

Back in the 1990s, John Katzenbach recognised this concept in his ground breaking work "The Wisdom of Teams", have a read if you missed it first time round.  Sure, there are other factors that are important and great teams know this the goal is to stay in the flow.