BUILD A ‘SPECIAL FORCES BUSINESS TEAM’

In the military they give medals to those who are willing to sacrifice themselves, so others may gain. In business we give often bonuses to those who are willing to sacrifice others so that we may gain.

We have it backwards, but we complain about how we don’t love our jobs, budgets are being cut, too much is expected, we are not appreciated or valued etc. And the first thing we do is blame each other, become more selfish and worry about my pay, my promotion, my future and benefits.

When we are unfulfilled we look at the metrics and say they are not good enough. When we are fulfilled we don’t care about the metrics. When we love our jobs, are cared for and care for others, when we feel fulfilled, we can be offered more money to move, but will stay.

In order to achieve this, we need to change our way of thinking about building businesses and business teams and look to methods and processes used by elite military units. They understand how to take a group of strangers and in the shortest space of time mould them into a team, each member of which is willing to sacrifice his life for the others.

This is achieved by operating at two levels. The first, the obstacle course, is aimed at the individual and is designed to build individual excellence. The second, called the confidence course, is different in that it cannot be completed without the help of other team members. It forces team members to interact, ask for, and offer help. Anyone who does not participate, or is lazy, is ostracised by the other members until they learn to cooperate. Remember, it is a fallacy that troops go into battle for king and country, they do it for their brothers, their team mates. Why would you risk your life for them? Because they would do it for me.

It can, and should be, the same in business. The same process, to build individual skills and confidence and then to create interdependent teams. Employees cannot care for clients if they are not cared for themselves. It’s about building trust and the only machine capable of measuring trust is the human being, and generosity without wanting anything in return is what builds trust. Strangers who learn to trust each other, would give their lives for each other, as shown by the military.   Start with the small things, do for others, with no thought of reward, and others will start helping you.

This then is the role of managers and leaders, to create the environment where this transformation can take place and continue to grow on an ongoing basis.

Not everybody will be willing to participate, but they will eventually either join the team or move on. But those who sign in to the process will feel more fulfilled, employees and clients will receive better service and staff will be much less likely to leave for offers of more money.

The end result, a more solid and sustainable business.

Contact us today, let us show you how and get started in building your own ‘special forces business team’.

Terri Codd MCF Corporate Training & Life Coach: 076 751 3556: coddterri@gmail.com: terri@m-c-f.co.za: terricodd.blogspot.com