Unstoppable Team

To create an unstoppable team, assemble your own special cast with complementary talents and capabilities. Recruit people with seven specific, unstoppable traits: 

1. “Competence” – Look for team members who have the ability to educate themselves and develop special skills. This has nothing to do with book smarts or SAT scores; it requires being able to absorb new information efficiently and benefit from it quickly.
2. “Perspective” – Find team members who have a thoughtful understanding of how previous experiences shaped their attitudes, beliefs and behavior. People with a strong perspective exhibit what Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck refers to as a “growth mind-set.” They believe that they can develop new competencies through hard work and effort. Most members of the US military’s special forces units, including Army Green Berets and Navy SEAL teams, demonstrate these traits.
3. “Communication” – You’ll want team members who can explain their ideas, be persuasive, and inform others about their emotions and feelings. This requires the courage to speak honestly, particularly about difficult topics.
4. “Drive” – Add ambitious team members who have a “can-do spirit.” Remove negative people who can’t rise above mediocrity from your team, because they can infect others and undermine motivation. SEAL trainers banish quitters to the “X division” before they can bring down their peers.
5. “Humility” – Find team members who are self-aware, inclusive and respectful. They are good listeners. They speak of “we” and “us,” not of themselves. Humble leaders facilitate teamwork.
6. “Flexibility” – Be sure to integrate team members who are open to new ideas and not set in old habits. They quickly adapt to new circumstances and challenges and will never be complacent.
7. “Selflessness” – Don’t forget to include team members who put others first, a trait that characterizes the attitude of all SEAL team members.