There are 5 main Keys to a Winning Team and number 2 is having a Common Goal.
In order to become a winning team, every team needs to understand what its common business goals are. Also, those goals need to supersede all individual goals. Sports teams provide an excellent example of this concept.
If the team understands that a common goal is to win the championship, then it will be easier for all team members to focus and concentrate on the team goal. If one or more team members are focused on individual goals, such as winning the scoring title, the performance of the entire team can be negatively affected.
Business is similar in this respect. For example, if the salesperson is just focused on bringing in orders regardless of the cost to produce and ship that order, the common goal of maximising profit will be at risk.
As people do what they are recognised and rewarded for, it is critical that the recognition and reward structure for individuals and for teams is consistent with the company’s common goals.
Setting common goals for the business starts with the owner’s vision. This must be regarded as the central aim and leaders must enlist the support of all team members to inspire them to do the things that they have to do.
Your team should know the answer to the question, “where are we going?”. If you have not already done so, you need to have clear goals and a plan of action to achieve them. At ActionCOACH, we have our clients do this through Business Strategy Days to develop 12-month goals and Quarterly Planning Sessions to develop the next 90 Day Plans. Doing so always keeps them ahead and allows them to plan accordingly.
Great goals are SMART– Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-orientated, and have a Timeframe however, SMART goals are not enough to get teams focused unless they’re common to the team so, you will need to invest time to engage the team with the goals, so they understand them and have bought in. The necessary buy-in ensures improvements in performance and team spirit.
You can download our paper on Creating a Dream Team HERE which includes all 5 of the Keys to a Winning Team as well as other tips to intentionally attract and build dream teams.
