Going for the Gold…
by Ritch K. Eich
Whether you are assembling a group of leaders to occupy key
posts in your C-suite or fielding a winning Olympic hockey team, many of the
essential building blocks are the same.
In an increasingly turbo-charged, competitive, and global
business environment, there is plenty of talent to be found around the world. The biggest challenge is sifting
through that talent and putting together a winning team. What should the CEO of a company or the
coach of a hockey team look for when building his or her team? From my
experience, there are five core attributes that are essential to putting
together a successful team whether that team is in the C-suite or on the ice:
1.
Passion. No C-suite or Olympic hockey team can
achieve sustained success without passion and a relentless commitment to
achieving their goals. When you
put together your team, be sure team members are hungry to win, and they
exhibit a “take no prisoners” attitude.
2.
Speed and decisiveness. A hockey team depends on
very adept, fast skaters that get to the puck first, block shots, win faceoffs
and score. The ability to examine
existing data, discuss and analyze it, reach consensus and be first to market
is just as crucial for your own business team. Be sure the people you choose understand the importance of
being a “fast skater.”
3.
Chemistry. As opposed to having a group of
“super stars” that are narcissists and prima donnas, surround yourself with
high integrity team players who are very competitive but also understand the
importance of working together toward a common goal. Just as the most successful hockey teams attract players
that support each other, the people you hire need to understand the importance
of placing the team above their individual egos and goals.
4.
Confidence. The best teams in business or sports
play as they practiced, realizing that each team member has a key role to play.
The best hockey teams master the fundamentals so well that they can practically
execute the required plays in their sleep. This enables them to focus on supporting each other so they
can win the game. Successful teams understand the difference between confidence
and arrogance, and will not tolerate the latter. Be sure your team members are confident, but check their
egos at the door.
5. Leading
and following. Often lost on many of us is understanding that the best leaders
are also, at times, the best followers. In other words, some of your best
leaders may reside outside of the C-Suite. The best hockey teams have strong relationships
between their coaches and players: everyone on the team knows that the
difference between winning and losing relies on their ability to work with each
other. The coach knows when to
lead and when to get out of the way so his players can do their thing. The same
is true in business: real leaders
know when to step up and when to step out of the way.
In four different industries, I’ve either reported to the
chairman of the board or CEO and I’ve also served on more than 10 boards of
directors or trustees, including chairing a hospital and medical center board.
If given a choice of working alongside a number of “superstars” in a C-suite or
a boardroom or being an integral part of a talented team of united, unselfish
professionals who always “have your six,” I would take the latter any day of
the week. Whether in the C-suite or on an Olympic hockey team, players need to
be accountable to one another as well as their CEO or coach.
