Working toward a common goal 

One definition of team in Webster’s Dictionary is: “a number of persons associated in some joint action.”  In the case of your agency, this means employees who are involved in attracting, satisfying and holding insurance customers.   

A March 2007 Rough Notes article Building Your Team by Keri Morris, CIC, CISR, ACSR, AIM offered this definition of team: “a group on one side.”  She went on to day that this definition indicates that the “us” and “them” needs to be “our agency” and “our competition”, rather than “me” and “you.”  

We have all heard the “there is no I in team” power phrase.  There is a professional sports team that epitomizes this phrase today. 

The New England Patriots have a common goal: to win every game, one game at a time. Coach Belichick repeats the “one game at a time” mantra ad nausem at briefings.  And, importantly, so does every player who comes within two feet of a microphone or reporter.  

Another page out of the Patriot playbook is: to strive for perfection.  In popular business parlance, zero-defects. 

Here are Critical Success Factors for team-building outlined by Morris in her Rough Notes article. 

Five Critical Success Factors for team-building 

Morris lists these CSFs in her article and elaborates on each.  I have outlined the five with brief notes about each.  

. Trust---Trust in others and in systems often has to be given before it is actually earned. Individuals must trust that their fellow team members have the common goal as their focus point. 

. Respect---Once we accept that there are different ways to do things to reach a common goal, we can hone our communication skills through a better understanding of each other’s personality types. 

. Commitment---While the foundation is trust and respect, it must be built upon by commitment of the team members.  No one person, not even the team leader, can achieve the common goal alone. 

. Inspiring teamwork---The team manager needs to identify what each team member needs and provide that reward when applicable.  Some want to hear the leader tell them they are doing a good job; some want others to hear the team leader tell them they are doing a good job;  some want tangible praise in the forms of awards or plaques or certificates. 

. Team meetings---Hold regular team meetings.  Focus not only on how the team is progressing in the achievement of common goals, but also (and sometimes more frequently) on the issues that are making success difficult.  Practice openness at each meeting; team members should be able to speak their minds and not be punished for their opinions and personal feelings.