Teamership : Be & And

Discussing the idea of “be brave and participate” with my friend Juan, he pointed out that while “brave” and “participate” were clearly central to the statement, the other two words mattered as well. He made a great point.

“Be” - not do.

Being a great team member is about how we turn up in our teams. It’s linked to mindset and not simply skillsets. This transcends the four word statement and is an essential component of allowing Teamership to be influential in teams and organisations. It’s not enough to go through the motions and tick some boxes. Teamership requires an investment beyond transactions.

“And” - not or.

Once again, this is a message that goes beyond the statement in question. Great team members consistently choose "and" rather than "or". As Jim Collins says in his book. "Built to Last":

Instead of being oppressed by the “Tyranny of the OR,” highly visionary companies liberate themselves with the “Genius of the AND”—the ability to embrace both extremes of a number of dimensions at the same time. Instead of choosing between A OR B, they figure out a way to have both A AND B.

Great team members appreciate the importance of both of these words. That it’s necessary to operate with the right mindset, as well as embrace paradoxes or multiple viewpoints.

Some questions for you to consider this week:

1. How well are you being (not doing) in your teams?
2. When did you or a colleague last choose "and" rather than "or"?

Keegan