Five Lessons in Teamwork I Learned as an Olympic Rower

In just over two weeks, athletes from around the world will gather in Paris and march into opening ceremonies to celebrate the start of the Olympic Games. Twenty-four years ago, I was among that group of excited athletes, proudly wearing red, white, and blue as I walked into a packed stadium in Sydney. I can still feel the excited energy I felt that evening, and the pride of having made it to the very top of the sports world.

Every four years, as another Olympics kicks off, I get the chance to reflect on the lessons I learned as an athlete competing at the highest level. As a new entrepreneur, the thing that’s been on my mind a lot lately is how to build and sustain high performing teams.

I was a member of the women’s eight in the 2000 Games. The eight-oared shell is the stuff of legend when it comes to teamwork. The eight is a favorite image on motivational posters about teamwork. And for good reason. Teamwork is at the very heart of a successful eight. One standout rower can do little to affect the outcome of a race. In fact, one exceptionally strong or skilled rower in a boat full of less skilled rowers may actually make the boat go slower if that more skilled rower cannot figure out how to blend in and work with the others.

Thus, in crew, the real challenge is to pay close attention to how the others are working, and to quickly adapt to the collective movement of the boat.

As I transitioned from the boathouse to the C-Suite, I saw firsthand how those same principles applied to high-performing teams everywhere. Many of us graduate from college and enter the world of work eager to standout—to show our bosses and our colleagues how much we know, how skilled we are. This is a laudable goal.

Having taken advanced courses in highly technical areas, we may arrive at our first job with phenomenal skills using software like Excel, or project management tools like Notion. But the skills we may not be as proud to show off are the ones that may have a greater impact on our ability to excel in our careers: How to work with others to achieve a common goal.

As an Olympic athlete turned executive, I’ve learned that the fundamentals of effective teamwork are remarkably similar in both the sports and the professional worlds. In the workplace, just as in rowing, individual talent only takes you so far. True success comes from learning to harmonize your efforts with those of your colleagues, adapting to the collective rhythm of your team, and focusing on shared goals rather than personal accolades. ?

Based on many years as both an Olympic rower and later as a leader in my professional career, I’ve identified five hallmarks of high performing teams.

1. They appreciate and cheer one another on. High-performing teams look for ways to build each other up. They high five one another, they recognize the achievements and successes of their teammates with authenticity and a true sense of goodwill. They intuitively understand that everyone on the team needs to feel included and valued to achieve collective success.?

2. They proactively support one another. Great team members anticipate one another's needs and offer help without being asked. They recognize when a teammate is struggling, and they proactively step in to offer assistance. This might involve a teammate offering some coaching or guidance, sharing techniques that have worked for them, or sharing training resources to help their teammate improve their skills.?

3. They assume positive intent. High-functioning teams navigate conflict with an assumption that everyone is doing their best and that no one is purposefully trying to undermine anyone else. This can make all the difference when someone is having a bad day, which will happen to everyone on every team. Giving grace to your teammates and assuming they have no ill-will on those bad days is vital to maintaining cohesion and leaders must model this behavior if they want it ingrained in their teams.?

4. The bring an abundance mindset. As opposed to a “scarcity mindset,” which assumes outcomes are zero sum, an abundance mindset refers to the paradigm that there is plenty out there for everybody. A high-functioning team inherently understands that you don’t have to lose for me to win. In fact, just the opposite: when you gain, we all gain.?

5.?? They embrace vulnerability. Vulnerability is the secret sauce of teamwork. Great teams foster and reinforce an environment where it’s safe to admit mistakes and ask for help. No one is at their best when they are afraid to fail. Admitting you don’t know something, or you messed something up, is a superpower because it creates the space for learning, and future success. When teammates are encouraged to speak up when they don’t know something— to ask for help—the entire team can grow and learn from one another in an environment free of blame, shame, and judgement.?

Whether you’re a team leader or an individual contributor, whether you are just starting out in your career or are many years into it, your ability to work with others is paramount to your success. As you settle in to watch your favorite team compete in Paris this summer, take a moment to reflect on how effectively your team is working and what you might change to help make it work better.