A scoreboard creates stress amongst the team.
Visibility into performance creates jealousy. It also pushes those who want to achieve to be better.
Every company I have founded has eventually created a scoreboard that would make a competitive athlete smile. Note: the word “eventually” was deliberate because aligning process with technology isn’t easy, especially when change management and people are involved.
Imagine a world where everyone can see who’s on the leaderboard across departmental (KPIs) Key Performance Indicators–as well as who’s lagging or in the red in different functions across sales, operations, and field services–all mapped to client satisfaction scores.
This transparency in data creates an environment where everyone knows how well we are performing–from teams to individuals to individual transactions. We don’t waste time listening to overzealous team members using last week’s numbers to trade information like internal currency.
Yes, I know about the win you are telling me about before you tell me. I get automated texts when someone flops or when they hit it out of the park. Talk about accountability! And just think about how much time you would get back in your day as a leader with this level of efficiency.
This level of transparency breeds healthy competition among departments. Each team has specific goals, and within those teams are sub-teams clawing their way to glory.
Last year, during one of our quarterly meetings, our Chief Revenue Officer practically threw a game ball in our Chief Operating Officer’s face because the sales team obliterated their targets, gloating to the operations team: “I hope your team is rested because you are getting ready to pull weekend shifts to keep up!” Because we all know the data, this comment can be taken in a healthy way, fostering comradery.
Let’s be adults about it, though: genuine collaboration and productivity require a bit of friction. As any good physicist will tell you, “Friction creates traction.”
Here’s the reality check: people are inherently self-serving–and I mean that in a good way.
They care about how their actions impact them first. The most successful teams I’ve seen are composed of individuals incentivized to achieve their personal goals aligned with the company’s objectives. Shocking, right?
We’re constantly bombarded with “kumbaya” business platitudes about teamwork making the dream work, but let’s be honest. When you incentivize personal performance correctly, value is created for the entire company.
Those at the top often prefer a compensation model tied to profitability and on the simple foundation of “teamwork.” But I am here to tell you that you have a risky hope strategy if you are banking on achieving meaningful results that way.
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. You know those folks who claim their workplace is a “team environment full of harmony and agreement”? (Single eyebrow raised; eye roll is imminent if I’m in the room). The definition of harmony is often “we’re not getting anything done.” The term “teamwork” has become so cliched that it’s lost its punch.
In business, we can’t afford that kind of artificial harmony. It leads to missed opportunities and festering problems. People tiptoe around issues instead of addressing them head-on, all in the name of “keeping the peace.” News flash: avoiding conflict doesn’t mean you’re united; it means you’re setting yourself up for failure.
As a leader, it’s your job to ensure everyone feels empowered to speak up. Encourage everyone to voice their opinions–no more hiding behind anonymous surveys and bland team-building exercises. Ditch the artificial harmony, welcome differing perspectives, and watch innovation and productivity soar.
Ditch the Artificial Harmony
Think about a baseball team for a moment. Each player has a specific role: pitchers focus on their pitching craft, a designated hitter trains to be the best hitter he can be, and the general manager is consumed with building and maintaining a winning team. Dedication to roles and positions creates winning games and championship teams.
Is a pitcher’s success gauged by the designated hitter’s home run, batting average, or on-base percentage performance? Are the incentives in a designated hitter’s contract based on the GM’s responsibilities for player acquisitions, contract negotiations, or scouting in the minor leagues? Nope, try again. His plan is built on hitter KPIs, like home runs, on-base percentage, and batting average.
An MLB baseball team is defined by 26 individual players (28 post-season), all intensely focused on performance in their position. This is how they achieve their goal and win as a team. Business is no different.
Make Your Team Work Toward Common Goals
Now, how do you make teamwork work?
When we set our goals, we break them down into manageable pieces for every department. We standardize quality metrics, align cycle time requirements across stages of the transaction, incentivize over-achievement, and have visibility to those getting us ahead or dragging the team down. It’s not as quantitative as Billy Ball, but it’s closer than you’d think.
When we hit our targets, it’s not by chance. It’s because every team member knows what they need to do in order for the team to win the game.
In 2022, we hit our company goal at 11:30 a.m. on December 31. We used nearly every hour of the year to reach our exponential growth goal target. We hustled until the last minute because we wanted to win and not let each other down.
It’s not just about metrics; it’s about everyone being in the zone and wanting to win for each other.
So, remember: teamwork isn’t about being besties; it’s about everyone doing their part to win the common goal. If you want to succeed in business, ditch the fluff, enjoy the pressure, embrace the friction, and get to work.