Success is not a product of solo efforts. It takes teamwork to succeed in any endeavour. No matter how skillful or endowed you are, even if you are a genius, you would still need the help of others to achieve something worthwhile. Anything of value is a product of teamwork.
The realisation of this fact inspired John Donne’s poem: “No man is an island” Nobody has ever been or will ever be an island unto himself. We all need each other. That’s the way we were created. Even God Himself said, “It is not good for a man to be alone.” So, He created a female companion, Eve, for Adam.
God said Adam was alone, despite the fact that, before Eve was created, there were many animals with Adam in the Garden of Eden. Some folks try to contradict this truth by keeping pets like dogs, cats, or even snakes, as companions, instead of the opposite sex.
They say two heads are better than one, if they are both not foolish. We all need people’s contributions to succeed in life. I hear proud guys brag, “I don’t need anybody!” That’s a big lie.
A true winner surrounds him or herself with those who are better than they are. If you are better than those in your management team, all you have are mere courtiers, a bunch of yes-men who keep their jobs by telling you what you want to hear. You can’t win this way. You shouldn’t surround yourself with folks who are overtly critical either; that’s like living with the opposition. Even politicians are wary of that.
To achieve success, you’ll have to create a team that truly believes in your vision, people that are ready to work as stakeholders with you, come rain, come shine. You need people who are ready to be co-travelers with you until you achieve your goals, regardless of the challenges they’d have to face along the way. Those are the kind of folks you need. And they should be better than you in certain ways that add value to your project.
In any venture, your team decides, to a large extent, the level of success you could attain. If a leader has a formidable team, success is half assured, ceteris paribus. Every good leader should be a team player to succeed. Whether you lead from behind or from within or from upfront, what matters is success, at the end of the day. Your leadership style is a function of your personality. Just give the leadership required of you.
Most leaders like great teams, but dread the specter of a star springing up from the team to become a potent threat to their leadership in the future. This is a reality no leader can wish away. Many leaders often end up being challenged for leadership positions by a member of their own team, or even a mentee. These things are inevitable; even champions live with these terrifying reality.
Nevertheless, fear of leadership challenge should never stop you from putting a winning team together to achieve your goals. It is natural for a loyal follower or apprentice to aspire to a position of leadership at some point. That’s a perfectly legitimate ambition, and no one should despise it. Of course, it may be difficult to accept.
I have mentored people who are now richer, more famous and more academically accomplished than I am today. Every good parents should desire that their children become greater than they are. Jesus wished that his followers did greater works than he did. That’s the hallmark of good leadership. Great leadership should produce great leaders. And success without succession is failure.
Now, back to the winning team. Your vision can’t succeed if you embark on a solo run. You’d need counsel and the wisdom of others when confronted with challenges along the way. You won’t always have the expertise you need to surmount obstacles you never envisaged. Someone in your ream may just have the right answer for that elusive problem that stands in the way.
Your team has to be properly groomed and well-motivated for action. Every member of your team should be encouraged with the right incentive, the support they require per time. Never hesitate to replace anyone in your group who is unable to cope with the pace or fails to deliver on performance. There’s little place for sentiments in business. A weak link in a chain could drag the entire team into the ditch.
As a team leader, see yourself as a football coach whose job is to instill in the team a winning mentality. Get everyone in your team to set their eyes on the ball. Remember that the opposing team is also aiming to win. Therefore, not only should you put your eyes on the ball, you should change tactics and strategies when the going gets tough. And when you lose, go back to the drawing board and plot new strategies. You make all the necessary adjustments and prepare for the next challenge. Don’t disband your team because you lost a match.
You can’t always win.
Weekend Spice: God’s forgiveness does not necessarily cancel all the conquencess of our sins – Derek Prince
Ok folks, let’s do it again next Friday. Stay motivated.
• Ayodeji is an author, rights activist, pastor and life coach. He can be reached on [email protected] and 09059243004 (SMS only)