The concept of teamwork is essential in business and in life. It is the collective efforts of many that create and transform industries, organizations, and communities. The gains made by a group working towards a goal far surpass any one individual’s effort.
It is often said that “teamwork makes the dream work.” It is important to highlight that for the dream to work it must be one that is shared by all if not most of the team. It’s also important to note that “dreams” or organizational goals need to be adjusted when faced with changing circumstances and environmental challenges.
For example, professional NBA players work tirelessly to achieve their team goals of becoming world champions. This is a goal that neither team members, the coach, nor a team executive can accomplish individually. It takes the effort and support of all stakeholders for NBA teams to reach their championship goals. To get even more specific, let’s look at the team conversations and discussions that took place in the Milwaukee Buck locker room before their playoff game against the Orlando Magic.
Providing a space for the team to openly discuss and share their concerns resulted in the Bucks’ protest walkout against the shooting of Jacob Blake. This team action also led to the rest of the NBA’s playoff teams sitting out in protest, as well. Kyle Korver, a member of the Bucks’ team shared that as a “white man, his job wasn’t to give his opinion or even share his thoughts on what was going on.” The key elements for him were the personal reflection and in-depth listening to his team members. He shared, “You know what you do? You stand with the marginalized. And when you can, you amplify their voice, and you listen to their thoughts, and you listen to their ideas, and then you find your way to help out.” The Milwaukee Bucks team, players, staff, and the larger Bucks organization took the time that day to understand and listen to its players and set an example of courageous and compassionate leadership.
Similarly, businesses cannot move forward successfully unless owners and managers take time to understand the concerns of their employees. The business landscape is shifting away from traditional – sometimes adversarial – roles between executives and employees to an environment of allies, where people voice and listen to concerns and everyone finds consensus solutions so the whole organization can take action, grow, and become more cohesive in the process.
At Nanaki Capital, we provide solutions to keep your business moving forward. Whether you need capital to maintain operations, or you need financing to reposition and grow your business, we can help. Contact our offices today to learn how we can help your organization.
