The USA Olympic 'Final Five' & The Power of Teamwork

Five young women made history at the 2016 Rio Olympics. They are the first team to win back-to-back gold medal's in the women's gymnastics team final (having won the same event at the 2012 London Olympics). These strong, focused athletes came to Rio as the favorites and did not disappoint. Each of these amazing women have had years of training to hone their skills, but how does individual excellence translate to a dominate team performance?

Bestselling author Patrick Lencioni has been studying and working with teams for years and has determined the five behaviors that truly cohesive teams have that gives them the ultimate competitive advantage:

1. Trust One Another
Members of great teams trust one another on a fundamental, emotional level, and they are comfortable being vulnerable with each other about their weaknesses, mistakes, fears, and behaviors. They get to a point at which they can be completely open with one another, without filters.

2. Engage in Conflict Around Ideas
Members of teams who trust one another are not afraid to engage in conflict around ideas that are key to the organization’s success. They do not hesitate to disagree with, challenge, and question each other, all in the spirit of finding the best answers, discovering the truth, and making great decisions.

3. Commit to Decisions
Teams that engage in conflict around ideas are able to gain commitment to decisions, even when some members of the team initially disagree. That is because they ensure that all opinions and ideas are put on the table and considered, giving confidence that no stone has been left unturned.

4. Hold One Another Accountable
Teams that gain commitment to decisions and standards of performance do not hesitate to hold one another accountable for adhering to those decisions and standards. What’s more, they don’t rely on the team leader as the primary source of accountability; they go directly to their peers.

5. Focus on Achieving Collective Results
Team members who trust one another, engage in conflict around ideas, gain commitment to decisions, and hold one another accountable are more likely to set aside their individual needs and agendas and focus on achieving collective results. They do not give in to the temptation to place their departments, career aspirations, or status ahead of the collective results that define team success.

USA Women's Gymnastics: Teamwork Defined

Now think about The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team and The Final Five. They absolutely have to trust each other. Once that trust is established they are able to engage in healthy conflict on technique, approach and all the finer points of being an Olympic athlete. Engaging in healthy conflict allows them to commit to decisions that will lift the overall team. Committing to decisions leads them to hold each other accountable for the standards they have agreed on. This level of commitment lets them focus on achieving collective results, which in this case involved the collective pride of an entire nation. 

These women have shown us the power of cohesive teamwork and what we can achieve if we set out to do our absolute best with those around us. And let's be honest, if I can get a gold medal out of it then teamwork sounds like a great plan! How are you going to build your Final Five?

Laurie Hernandez, Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Madison Kocian