Building a Team That Is Magic

With the Recruiting and Talent Acquisition online event nearly here, HR Exchange Network is thinking about the hiring process and what it takes to construct one of those magical teams that breeds success. These kinds of teams are rare, but HR has in its power the ability to build them. The first step is understanding what makes the magic.?

Sports fans know all about this. Usually, the leaders of the team have some humility. They know themselves well and try to leverage the skills of others to make up for their weaknesses. They're not afraid to get their hands dirty. They know when to provide direction and how to motivate the others. Think of Patrick Mahomes, quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, who is headed to the Super Bowl on Feb. 12. Americans certainly have seen this in former quarterback Tom Brady, first with the New England Patriots and most recently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Soccer fans may have noticed these traits in Argentina's Lionel Messi as he led his nation's team to win the World Cup a few months ago.?

The leader cannot carry the team alone, however. The other players have to be dedicated to the cause and committed to excellence by doing the hard work of continuously learning through practice. They can't give up. They must bring to the table diversity of thought. Sometimes, even that isn't enough. They also must find a rhythm with their teammates.?

What's the secret sauce? They must forge bonds, so they are motivated to work for each other, too. This creates a level of comfort and trust that allows for them to experiment, come up with new strategies, and innovate. So, the most important ingredient is friendship. There's a chemistry that surfaces when in battle during a game. They play the game almost as if they are children having fun in the street. The work is a joy. Then, it does not feel like work at all.?

In this way, sports provides a roadmap for HR. Recruiting, talent acquisition, employee engagement, and just about every job requires attention to relationships. Hiring the most talented person might be meaningless if they lack the rhythm of that team, if they don't vibe with the other players.?

For example, Cristiano Ronaldo was arguably the best soccer player in the world when he joined the Italian Serie A team Juventus. On paper, he was perfect. He managed to score many goals, too. They paid top dollar for his talent. But he rarely celebrated wins with his teammates and often seemed like he was not in the inner circle of the team despite being the star. That team experienced friction in the locker room and barely met the goal of qualifying for the Champions League. Ronaldo's talent was not enough to carry the team. Juventus lacked magic.?

Beating last year's profit margins is the Champions League of business, and HR needs to find the team to win it all. They must eliminate those practicing rage applying because they have not vetted the company and might not be a good fit. Part of the sophisticated job of those charged with talent acquisition is to figure out which talent is a good match for the team, which candidate will help make that magic. The key is finding someone who will forge bonds, who will play nicely with the others, who will feel secure enough to take risks. HR must ensure the team has the right stuff to meet its GOOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!

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Until next time...