How Functional Is Your Team? Star Team or Team of Stars?

The International Basketball Federation World Cup tournament concluded recently and Germany, not so fancied to be favourites ended up lifting the trophy after overcoming a shorthanded Serbian team that would have stood a higher chance of winning if they had their Joker, Nikola Jokic fit to play. They gave Germany a run for their money and lost narrowly, 83-77 in a low-scoring but thrilling final in Manila, Philippines on the 10th of September 2023.

Basketball as a game has continued to grow in popularity worldwide and it is estimated that it has millions of players and fans worldwide. It is a fast-paced game requiring a combination of skill, athleticism and teamwork. The Chemistry among the five players on the court at single for each team can win you a game and a championship and I think that is what was exemplified by Germany in the 2023 tournament. In the previous tournament, Spain went all the way to win in a similar fashion.

The recent tournament development is a shift from what has been tradition. The USA has dominated basketball over the decades but Spain and Germany have demonstrated that talent alone is not enough to win you a championship, teamwork is at the heart of it. Basketball was made in the USA. They have the most developed professional basketball league, attracting all the world's big talents. The USA boasts of super talent at all levels and has a well-developed feeder system that churns out talents every year into the professional league. High school and college basketball are well developed and this is where talent is identified and developed.

The USA goes into every basketball championship as favourites. To demonstrate their dominance, the USA has won 15 of the last 20 Olympic championships. In this recent tournament, they did not select their A team but it was still a team that would have comfortably won the championship. In my assessment, the talent was there but they lacked chemistry and this was their major undoing. They finished the tournament fourth, meaning there was no medal to show for it. They lost the 3rd place playoff to minnows, Canada who are another demonstration of what it means to have chemistry in a basketball team.

Now, for the novice, basketball is a game played by five players in each team at a single time. So a total of 10 players at a time. It is a high-octane game that needs lots of concentration and most importantly great chemistry among the five players on the court at the time. I say this because another important aspect of the team is substitutes who are introduced at any time of the game because of either injury fatigue or other factors that may not allow a player to continue. These substitutes must seamlessly plug into the rhythm of the team and ensure improvement and continuity. Each of the five players on the court at a single time has unique characteristics and a specialized role that feeds into the greater good of the whole team.

We have the point guard who is the ball handler for the team. They are typically high in intelligence are agile, quick and very skilled in dribbling. Literally, they pull the strings for the team. We have the shooting guard who is typically the best scorer and shooter. They drill most of the shots from outside the three-point line and are great drivers to the rim. We then have the small forward. This is an all-round player who is usually very versatile and their major role is defending the opposing team’s best player. There is the power forward who should be the strongest and their major role is to score points inside the D. They are also tasked with defending the opposing team’s power forward and/or centre. The center is the tallest player in the team blocking shots on defense and?

I followed the tournament (whenever I could) and I know very well that Germany as a championship-winning team was a well-worked on project. This team didn’t happen. A team is created and it takes great investment ranging right from the talent identification the training and the forging of team spirit and teamwork. They have a well-established habit rhythm that they keep improving on to take the team to the next level. They know their leader both on and off the court. They have a language that they understand very well and can accurately predict their teammate's next move. That is why we have the “no look” pass as a common phenomenon. You know your teammates’ movement so well that you can pass the ball without looking.

I have noticed that the stars can be fashioned into fluid teams delivering exceptionally well. However, if egos are not managed things can be messy and it can be a dysfunctional team of stars. You would want to fashion and build a silky and functional star team that delivers as opposed to an ego-filled stubborn team with endless strive.

This is not only true in the sports arena but also at work, family and any other set-up that employs the input of different people. Teamwork and team spirit propel organizations to unbelievable heights. We however need to remember that teams don’t happen. They are intentionally built and it matters how each team member is individually managed. A team is built every day by the small and subtle things. Our motivations, how we say hi to each other, how treat each other, how we share duties and responsibilities and how we support one another on and off the workplace all contribute to building a formidable team. Constantly evaluating and improving on what is not working for the team builds on the effectiveness and efficiency of the team in delivering on its mandate. When you lose you lose as a team without blame shifting. When you win you win together and celebrate as a team while recognizing the unique contribution of each of the individuals. When it is necessary to celebrate the leader individual who carried you through a dark season without relegating the contribution of the other members to oblivion, it is important to do so.

You have probably read about the dysfunctions of a team by Patrick Lencioni: absence of trust, fear of trust, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to details. These are things to pay attention to and they must be deliberately managed to form a formidable team.

How are you building your team? Do you have the grit to build a team of stars or would rather direct your efforts towards building a star team? How functional is the team that you belong to? What is your role in your team?

A championship-winning team is no accident. It just doesn’t happen. It is built deliberately. It is an investment. It is hard work and takes courage to navigate the dysfunctions and win as a team.?