In a high performance business there is really only one team

In a high performance business, whatever your team is called, it is also the team that helps clients’ business growth.

In a discussion about the parlous state of the National Health Service in the UK, one commentator remarked recently that nothing would change until every government department understood that it was also the department for health.

The department for education: also the health department because nurturing children to better physical and mental health would ultimately benefit us all.

The treasury department: also the health department because in eradicating child poverty everyone’s ultimate outcomes are better.

The department for levelling up: well obviously.

And so on.

Similarly whatever team you work in at an agency you are there to help the client’s business achieve its objectives.

The influencer team: also not only there to create influencer campaigns, but there to help make the product or brand grow.

The search team: also not only there to navigate the intricacies of the new search economy but there to grow the product or brand.

The creative team: also not only there to win Lions but there to make sure that people buy the product or brand.

And so on.

It of course helps if team leaders focus on this, and on how they can work together across departments to deliver the best outcomes.? It requires putting the customer or client first, over and above department needs.??

The UK Government Digital Service (GDS ) was set up to do just this for government services like applying for a passport, or driving licence.? Before the GDS each government department ran their own websites and tended to fill them with content that was rich in colour and slow to load.? Rather than be utilitarian to what the customer (ie British citizens) needed, the websites tended to be designed to drive the reputation and interests of the particular department.? The GDS’s priorities changed this radically.? They revolve exclusively around making digital government simpler, clearer and faster for everyone.? Anyone who had the experience of queuing up at a post office in the old regime only to be told that you hadn’t filled in your form properly (I was once rejected because my signature went inadvertently over a line), or waiting for impossibly long load times for the website, will appreciate the revolution that GDS created.

Fostering a good culture within a particular department or team is important, and making this inclusive and diverse delivers best outcomes.? Making sure that this team spirit is not at the expense of other teams in the agency is vital to overall success. Putting the needs of the customer above the immediate kpis or ambitions of the department leader is paramount.?

Guy Kawasaki has written that there are two types of businesses.? The pie eaters and the pie bakers. ? The pie eaters take the view that there is a limit to resources, and that if someone else eats some of their pie, that they will suffer.? The pie bakers are happier to share the pie, and take the view that they can always bake another bigger pie.??

There is only one way to deliver growth in this scenario.? Be a pie baker, and understand that whatever your team is called, and whatever your title is, you are there to help bake bigger pies, and grow the clients’ business, not simply deliver your immediate objective.? This requires looking up from the department you find yourself in and taking a view of the wider world.? Every team needs focussed time to work on immediate objectives and actions, but it is never too soon to look over the box you are in and think about your impact on the whole.