You've heard it before: the right team can do anything. And you've also heard how important it is to have a happy and healthy team.
But what does it mean to be both high-performing and happy? What does a happy, high-performing team look like? And how can you emulate them?
For answers, we'll take a page from the playbook of history's most impressive teams (including fictional ones we all know and love). What made those teams so remarkable? How can we borrow their tactics? Let's start with a few basics.
Trust each other
The crew of Apollo 13 famously struggled with limited resources when they were stranded in space in 1970, but they still managed to return safely to Earth—with very little help from mission command. Astronaut Gerry Griffin pointed out that trust played a significant role in their mission's success. They rarely used personal pronouns, instead opting for "we," because they knew they were all in it together. How much more awesome could your team be if you trusted each other?
Get to really know each other
The Lost Boys from Peter Pan were able to live for years on their own, with only their wits and Tinkerbell to keep them alive! Do you know what each of your teammates brings to the table? Do you understand their strengths, talents, and unique viewpoints? Teams are more likely to thrive when each member is respected and valued."
Recognize that diversity adds strength—not weakness
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes have a cool name. They have a cool logo. They have a cool mission statement (which is literally all about saving the world). They've got decades of experience and even intergalactic adventures under their belt. They're all experts in their field.
Like many teams, they don't always see eye to eye. Captain America is always trying to tell Iron Man how to do everything, and Thor isn't even from this planet. But somehow, they make it work.
Ask each other or help
Every one of The Avengers has an impressive skillset, but they each have weaknesses as well. What makes them so successful is that they aren't afraid to lean on each other —and they know how to ask for help. When these characters come together, they bring an incredible amount of expertise to the table, and we all can follow their example.
Give your team space and time to succeed
At Zoho, we provide the opportunities for people to grow. In fact, our Chief Evangelist started in IT, our Head of HR for the US started as a content editor, and our Marketing Manager for one of our largest products started as an app developer. We help people find their true calling at Zoho—and they become invaluable assets to us.
It's essential to give your team members time and space to succeed at their jobs. Why? Because people have their own methods for success. And everyone has different needs and wants in a work environment—we all have our quirks and characteristics that define who we are.
By creating an environment where people are allowed to be themselves, you'll find they become more engaged with their jobs and more passionate about what they do every day. This will lead to higher overall productivity in your company, which means better results for everyone involved, and more opportunities for your business to grow.
And let's face it—Growing your business is an incredibly exciting feat!
If you are growing your business, you are creating something from nothing. You're building a company from the ground up, turning a dream into reality, creating jobs for other people, and making a difference.
And if you want to build an amazing business that changes lives and becomes legendary, you need to start with a team that works together towards the same goal.
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