Where is the 'I' in team? 

June, 2015 - Ben Bolt

The recent soap opera surrounding Kevin Pietersen and his off-on-off relationship with the England cricket team has dominated the sports media over recent months.There is no doubting that Pietersen is the most talented batsman available to England but, that said, for many well-rehearsed reasons (and various misdemeanours) he will not be selected.As in so many situations, the parallels between sport and business are worthy of reflection:

  • Any team should be greater than the sum of its parts– a prerequisite of building a great management team is getting the right individuals in the right roles. People might not be the best of friends out of work, but in the work place they create a powerful cocktail.
  • Most outstanding teams will have a maverick (or two) in their ranks. This individual may not play by the rules; may be disruptive but crucially is very often the most talented.One thinks of the super salesman in many businesses and how they are accommodated; managed and harnessed for the greater corporate good.
  • Good leaders/managers should be capable of bringing out the best of all the talents. A good CEO or sports team coach has to work with their stars to deliver the most effective blend of skills.Some of the greatest sports coaches like Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Clive Woodward or Sir Dave Brailsford have been capable of taking very strong (and often difficult) characters and building world class teams.

So for the business leader/manager, the messages of the Pietersen saga are clear.If you want to achieve and outperform then you may well need to be flexible.A great manager/leader has to be capable of harnessing a breadth of occasionally opposing talents.

Whilst we might only ever know a fraction of the truth behind the current debate, one thing is for certain – the focus of English cricket should be on winning the Ashes and achieving that goal will take the best possible team (of individuals).

 

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