Category Archives: Great Results

The Impact of Teamwork and Steve Jobs’ Parable of Rocks

Steve Jobs, in a 1995 interview, was discussing the importance and impact of teamwork, and it was during that discussion that he shared a short parable of rocks and how they polish each other: “When I was a young kid there was a widowed man that lived up the street. He was in his eighties. He was […]

Three Powerful “F” Words to Use With Difficult Teammates

Everyone, at some point, has dealt with difficult teammates who seem to hold onto damaging beliefs or continually sabotage team progress with negative behaviors… For those individuals that you would like to help change, there are three powerful “F” words that you will find useful in future conversations. And, yes, all three of them are […]

Improve Team Toughness With No-Win Situations

Team toughness is something every coach wants to improve. Surprisingly, one of the most significant coaching and leadership lessons I have ever learned about building team toughness was inspired by something I saw on Star Trek. Seeing the “Kobayashi Maru” training exercise is where I first recognized the value of using no-win situations to test […]

Create a Herd Mentality to Crash Through Team Distractions

Everyone is aware of the term “herd mentality,” and has likely seen instances where individuals adopt a very different behavior or attitude to crash through distractions as part of a larger group. Whether it is a herd of buffalo, cattle, antelope, or reindeer, we have heard of how animals congregate and findstrength and comfort in […]

3 Tips to Help You Manage Virtual Teams More Effectively

Increasingly, people now work together as virtual teams and therefore require more effective management to keep the group focused and feeling connected. Teamwork is still defined as the coordinated activities of a cohesive group who contribute diverse skills and resources to accomplish a compelling common goal , but throughout corporate world, the nature of teams […]

Why Great Teammates Accept No Excuses

One of the most important skills to be a good teammate and improve mental toughness involves the decision to set high expectations and never make or accept excuses. Winners are both intentional and accountable.  Whatever your goal and whoever is on your team, your success will be determined by how willing you are to say […]

Why Accountability is the Problem With Your Team

When people face adversity, when things don’t go exactly as planned, or when success does not come as easily as we feel it should, the first question many teammates will begin to hear, from friends or family or others outside their organization, is “what is the problem?” This is a very important question to consider, […]

Improve Team Communication with a Style of Influence Personality Profile

A Style of Influence personality profile can improve your team communication and provide a deeper understanding of yourself and others. No group ever complained that their team communication was too good! In fact, most of the workplace interpersonal conflicts you may have seen or been part of are likely the results of relationships between people […]

Kayaking Through Currents and Reaching Your Team Destination

Late this past summer, during a trip to Savannah, Georgia, my wife and I went kayaking – and I was reminded of the danger that strong currents and distractions can present, even when you begin with the sincere intention of reaching your destination. We left from Tybee Island, and were travelling across the Savannah River […]