Everyone’s gotta row

This post is part of the Your Plan of Action series for those new to the executing team (also called management by some. But not by the enlightened readers of this site.).

There is another issue that is closely tied to your motivation to find a starring role for every member of your team.

Remember earlier when we talked about teams we talked about everyone being focused around a single motivating set of goals with each member contributing according to his or her own special talents, skills, and interests? This is how a true team functions, and everyone feeds from the successes and dedication of the other team members.

When one or more team members are not contributing, or aren’t focused on the team goal, then the whole team starts to suffer. Productivity and creativity are reduced, and in the worst cases the team breaks up into a collection of individuals, businesses collapse, and teenage pregnancy rates soar (ok, it’s not that bad, but it’s bad).

You do not have a place on a good team for people who don’t contribute.

The price is simply too high. Some organizations are large enough so that it is feasible to carry a couple folks who aren’t performing. Don’t make this mistake. The cost is far higher than the salaries of one or two people. These one or two people will eat at the productivity, drive, and creativity of your entire team.

The famous canoe analogy

Think of your organization as a canoe. The only way to get where you are going is for everyone to row, in the same direction, and at the same time. (Credit to my friend Jay for that analogy.)