One of my best friends loves to say, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” I think he borrowed that saying from a business guru. But it is true. The best businesses are comprised of good culture and teamwork.
Leadership guru, Patrick Lencioni of the Table Group wrote in “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” “If you get all the people in an organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time.”
Given the changing landscape in the pallet sector and the headwinds ahead for the U.S. economy, the next few years will be much easier for companies that have built solid teams. With all the consolidation taking place, the ability of these mega companies to compete will also rely on their ability to integrate companies and develop strong teams.
That’s why I wanted to think about some of the best pallet companies I have seen through the focus on good teamwork. Lencioni’s book identifies five attributes that makes teams suck. These are the absence of trust that keeps members from being vulnerable with each other, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results. Any one of these can be toxic. Too many and you are doomed to fail.
The best pallet plants have owners and/or top managers who are involved and care. They set the tone for the operation. They cast vision that is emulated by others in the organization. Usually, they are servant leaders who strive to give workers the tools that they need to succeed. These leaders care about workers and are open to hear their ideas for improving operations. Visionary leaders maintain a focus on goal achievement while remaining humble and putting the team’s needs before their own.
Successful teams are goal oriented with specific timelines. They care about the clock and being efficient. Think of a NASCAR pit crew. Every second counts. The same goes for smart pallet and lumber operations. Time is the most precious commodity you have.
Good teams care about the results. They hold each other accountable, and slackers don’t have anywhere to hide. Beyond just the managers, other team members will encourage poor performers to do better. One way to develop this mindset is to establish goals and rewards that are collaborative. That way everyone on the team has a vested interest in ensuring other team members are pulling their weight and meeting objectives.
The only way to reach new performance highs is to take risks and do things differently. If you always do things the same ole way, you probably won’t break any new ground. Growing teams must allow members to fail in order to succeed. And with every mistake or failure comes an opportunity to learn and improve. Is your organization risk averse? If it is, you have already put a ceiling on your success. In your next staff meeting, consider asking workers, “What is one risk or novel approach that they would like to take to make their departments better?” If 2023 has some lulls in demand, this is the perfect time to get better and work on improving processes that you were too busy to address in 2022. Brent Gleeson, founder and CEO of TakingPoint Leadership and former Navy SEAL, suggests that strong teams stop to conduct After Action Reviews (AARs) when a project or job is done. The results of your analysis should be documented and shared with the team. A key aspect of AARs is to have key measurements that are measured and reviewed.
High performance teams are safe and emotionally healthy. They create space to have hard conversations and are willing to address key challenges that other ignore. When it comes to dealing with mental health in the workplace, check out the article on page 50. It covers some key things to consider when dealing with mental challenges in the workplace. One way to build this camaraderie is by investing time bonding over non-work topics. Some consider this a waste of time, but it can lead to better communication and teamwork by creating authentic connection and affinity among team members. People will work better and longer with those people that they like. Ron Friedman, Ph.D. and award-winning psychologist, wrote “The best teams aren’t more effective because they work all the time. On the contrary: They invest time connecting in genuine ways, which yields closer friendships and better team-work later on.”
Friedman also suggested, “Within our study, members of high-performing teams reported receiving more frequent appreciation at work — both from their colleagues (72% more) as well their managers (79% more). Critically, they also reported expressing appreciation to their colleagues more frequently (44% more), suggesting that within the best teams, appreciation doesn’t flow from the top down. It’s a cultural norm that’s observable in peer-to-peer interactions.”
Another key attribute of effective teams is that everyone knows their job and is self-managed. They don’t have to be reminded of every little thing or deadline. They are aware of the entire process and can jump into the breech as problems arise.
In the end, it all comes down to communication. Effective communication is a must for any high-performance team. You can have All-Stars, such as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. But if the team doesn’t communicate well, you won’t get to wear the championship ring at the end of the season.
