3 Traits of a Selfless Team Culture

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller

I have been a member of teams my entire life. As I look back, I can recall the most talented basketball players I had the honor of playing with. Many of these teammates were supremely talented, some obtaining the status of All-American and ultimately, playing professionally.

I can also recall the various teams I played on. A few teams were incredibly talented, yet lacked cohesion. Others were average - in both talent and collective impact. And some were not particularly talented, and yet enjoyed a strong culture, thereby enabling the group to achieve at a level far greater than expected.

And throughout my years as a basketball coach, these same outcomes played out from year to year.

What made the difference between a team with strong cohesion as opposed to a team that never seemed to fully gel together? Why do some teams achieve above their talent level, while others languish far below their potential? And perhaps most profound, why were some teams just so much fun to be a part of, while others drained the collective energy of the group?

While complex, a great deal of this variance can be attributed to culture. In particular, the degree to which team members were focused on their own achievement vs. the success of the team. Selfish culture vs. selfless culture.

When a selfless culture defines a team, tremendous outcomes are almost certain. Selfless cultures are also a lot of fun to be a part of. They are uplifting and encouraging. As a result, teams with selfless cultures are those I remember most fondly.

The relationships, bonds, and lasting connections endure far more powerfully than the games won. To this day, I often channel lessons learned during those seasons for inspiration and motivation.

Legendary, Duke University Men’s Basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski, perhaps best summarized what a selfless team culture looks like. “To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless.” It turns out, teamwork is a prerequisite for a selfless culture.

With this in mind, let’s explore 3 traits of a selfless team culture.

In a selfless team culture, credit is freely given to others.

When a selfless culture is present, credit is given away freely. Similar to a game of hot potato, no one wants to be left holding the credit. Individuals recognize the interdependence of the team and the roles and responsibilities of each team member. There is an appreciation that everyone must do their job well, if one person is to be able to perform her job well. And no one wants to let the team down.

In addition, selfless team members obtain tremendous joy from celebrating others and giving them recognition. They identify their own success in direct proportion to the success of their colleagues.

Reflection Questions for School Leaders:

At staff meetings, are faculty and staff enthusiastically supportive when a colleague is recognized for an achievement?

Do staff at your school support one another on social media by ‘liking’ their work related posts?

Are ‘we’ and ‘us’ more commonly used than ‘I’?

In a selfless team culture, team members volunteer to ‘step in the gap’ when needed without keeping score.

Selfless cultures are defined by mission and gratitude. Here, team members embrace the opportunity to take on an extra duty for an absent colleague, cover a class, or meet with a student after school to prepare for an upcoming assessment. They do so out of abundance, not obligation - bringing enthusiasm to the activity.

Opportunities to ‘step in the gap’ are not recorded on a scorecard. Rather, such opportunities simply support the collective mission of the team. The driving force behind this selfless service is mission (the ‘why’) and gratitude (an appreciation for the opportunity to make a positive impact). Not coincidentally, the actions and the driving force behind them are each defined by a selfless approach.

Reflection Questions for School Leaders:

How do you reinforce mission in staff and small group meetings amidst the flood of logistical to-do’s?

As a school, division, grade-level, or department, is gratitude a point of emphasis?

Is there joy present in the work of your school?

In a selfless team culture, family and personal time are valued and protected.

Selfless cultures are not developed organically. And rarely do they occur by accident. Leaders must recruit and retain team-first staff members, and then nurture the culture on a daily basis. The results are beautiful - credit is given away to others and team member embrace the extra work necessary to operate an outstanding organization. However, leaders must take caution to ensure work does not crowd out personal health and life-space. They must institutionally protect the personal and family time of their team members.

Without these guardrails, a giving culture will bankrupt the emotional accounts of its team members. Most acutely, this imbalance will strike the most selfless staff members. They will give to the point of personal imbalance. Indeed, the most dedicated faculty and staff in an organization are often giving at the expense of their own wellness and that of their families. So, if a selfless culture is to last - if it is to be sustainable - leaders must safeguard family and personal time.

Reflection Questions for School Leaders:

As a school leader, are you sensitive to the personal wellness of your staff?

How do you know if someone is approaching burnout?

As a leadership team, what steps do you take to ensure all team members are ‘standing in the gap’ when necessary, as opposed to a select few?

Selfless team cultures are truly transformative. But they require a lot of work. As a school leader, the investment you make into developing a selfless culture will be worthwhile. It’s ROI is nearly immeasurable. And yet it must be done in a thoughtful and sustainable manner.

*Quotes retrieved on May 19, 2019 from: Kerpen, D. (2014). 15 Quotes to Inspire Great Teamwork. Inc.