My colleague was excited to be nominated for a v-team equivalent to an Olympic All-Star squad. But the gotcha was that the talent was the good news and the bad news.
On the one hand, a project with a bunch of ringers should have been a breeze. On the other hand, some team members seemed to be along for the ride. It was a challenging puzzle because the problems they were trying to solve weren’t the problem. People were the problem.
One day, everything came to a head when someone lagging on deliverables casually pushed back, explaining that “v” meant, “I’ll volunteer when I can.” I groaned as she told me the story because it reminded me of a hilarious post by Very British Problems. Their tweet had a running list of “phrases that mean nothing will happen.” Take a look—do any of these responses sound familiar?
* I’ll make some calls;
* I’ll think about it;
* Certainly a possibility;
* Let’s come back to that; and
* Might see you down there!
Luckily, the story ended on a high note. The Team Lead quickly jumped in to course correct the misperception. Actually, the V in v-team means “virtual,” not volunteer. And here’s why that mindset shift matters: Volunteers are only responsible now and then. By contrast, people working virtually around the globe have made an ongoing commitment.
In the September series, Collaboration: The Boys in the Boat Way, we’re talking about three non-negotiable people skills—cooperation, flexibility, and accountability—required to become a champion collaborator. Let’s look at how The Boys overcame a focus on individual performance. By pulling together, they clawed their way out of a slump.
Picture this: The University of Washington squad gets to the Olympic games, only to find one of their first-string picks has a stomach bug. Alternates are standing by. But Coach Ulbrickson rolls the dice and waits until the last minute to set the line-up. He hopes and prays Don Hume can rally because he’s banked on the winning chemistry his starters have shown.
The race begins, and Coxswain Bobby Moch notices that Hume is bleary-eyed and unfocused. You might think Moch would turbo-charge the strategy and push others to pick up Don’s slack.
Instead, Moch sat eye-to-eye with Don, encouraging him. He relentlessly pounded out a cadence until Hume returned to rowing in perfect time with the rest of the team. Bobby’s efforts paid off. Hamburg became the place where UW brought home the gold.
The case study exposes the surprising truth my colleague also discovered: High value teams demonstrate two levels of accountability—personal and collective. But bossing up doesn’t happen by making demands, which is a fast way to damage your career. As an alternative, help roles and responsibilities take shape by applying your best people skills—that’s what worked for The Boys.
For instance, Bobby Moch had the wisdom to see who was fading or out of step. Then, he applied his creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving acumen to keep everyone working together. Do you want to know another word for people with that kind of emotional intelligence and Spidey sense? Leaders.
Are you in the middle of a high-performing collaboration drifting off course? Here are three healthy ways to use people skills to keep the group accountable and get back on track:
Even supergroups filled with high performers can’t run on talent alone. So, create successful collaborations by practicing next-level accountability—balance individual and collective responsibilities.