teamwork or teams work

By ANDREW LITTLE

Alongside music, Rugby Union is a huge passion.  Having played for Rosslyn Park for fifteen years, I now enjoy coaching my younger sons KCS Old Boys U14 side.  Makes me think.  To my mind, Rugby Union combines the need to know the minutiae of your job, understand how that fits into the overall direction of the team, but also bring any and all of your talents to support the team effort as play evolves ever more dynamically.  

In the workplace, I think there is a similar need for clarity of role, consensus purpose and inclusive debate and action.  I have talked in a previous post about job descriptions.  A scrum-half (my position) has a job description, as does a marketing manager.   But the working environment remains changeable in both instances – play what’s in front of you!  

Secondly, the scrum-half + number 8 + fly half make a team within a team, but each of those individuals contribute mightily in broken play.  So the job description must inform the individual and impact the team and the outcome.   Inclusive team culture fosters a mentally stimulating and vigorous exchange of ideas, minimising silos and maximising creativity and consequence.  A prop forward running in a 50metre try, or a product idea coming from the marcoms assistant.  Both must be cultivated and enjoyed!

“So the job description must inform the individual and impact the team and the outcome.”