Michael Jordan once stated that ‘talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.’ It’s a philosophy that most can relate to, whether you’re part of an organisational workforce, or about to grace the fields for the upcoming 2015 Rugby World Cup. Talent, undeniably, is an important factor to the success of any team, yet teamwork and collaboration is the glue that holds it all together. The potential for success is substantially higher when everyone works together and strives for the same goal.
Few sports hinge more on teamwork and collaboration than rugby. More so than most, it’s a sport built on team success as opposed to individual achievements. It therefore shares many philosophies and similarities with company workforces and organisational victories. Below, we shall examine why collaboration is king, the parallels between a rugby and workplace team, and how enterprise collaboration software could be assisting with your company’s triumphs.
Teamwork
Though it happens occasionally, more often than not, a player is unlikely to convert a try by running from one side of the field to the other singlehandedly. Passing, chasing, finding space, always keeping an eye out for your nearest teammate - these are just a few of the components that a rugby player must take into account when hoping to rake in the points. Working together as a team, however, remains the single more important factor in achieving on-field victories. To achieve success within an organisation, the company must have a similar mind set.
Let’s say your firm has just been assigned a new, large, and critical project. Will you assign a team to work on it, or just one employee? Odds are, you’ll go with the former option and choose a team of people to work together and complete the project. What’s more, you'll want all of those people working on the project together, instead of individually. The potential for success is undoubtedly increased if everyone works together and shares a common goal.
With an enterprise collaboration platform, workforces are able to collaborate to their highest potential. If you have a document that is being worked on and continually redrafted, you no longer have to worry about the file being sent back and forth through email, always carrying the risk of an incorrect draft being sent. With online collaboration software, everyone in the team can view and edit the same file in one space, while being able to see any edits that have been made. Team members can also comment on the file within the same location, creating discussions on how to improve and complete the document and project. Everyone within the team has a voice that will be seen by the rest of their colleagues.
Assists
There’s few things more gratifying in a game of rugby than seeing the ball passed player to player, across the field, eventually reaching the wing and converting to a try. Though winning the try will receive the most attention, it’s the assists leading to it that often deserve the most praise. It requires timing, skill, speed, and most of all, communication. If one person down the line is too far ahead or behind, the whole play will fall apart. It requires everyone to be in sync with one another, all trying to assist their fellow teammate.
Nearly three out of four employers rate teamwork and collaboration as ‘very important’, and accordingly, should encourage their employees to work together and assist each other’s work. Everyone hopes to achieve personal success, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with such a goal. Another goal, however, should be to help your colleagues achieve their own ambitions, which in turn, will aid the company and yourself.
Through enterprise collaboration software, workers have a portal where they can both assist their colleagues, and assist themselves. If you’re working on a project and need a particular piece of information, instead of Googling the query and finding numerous, and often unverified answers, you can post the question in the enterprise platform. Your question will then be viewed and answered by someone internal, who you know is both knowledgable in the area, and a credible source.
Tries
When it comes down to it, the most vital part of any rugby game is converting tries and picking up points. Though only one player can place the ball down on the finish line, have you noticed what they do once they score the try? They are instantly surrounded by congratulating teammates, celebrating the try as a team.
Most organisations (86%) have a rewards or recognition program in place for when a company or employee is triumphant. It’s important to reward your employees and keep them motivated, however you should also make sure to keep them informed of any company achievements as a whole. A company success story should be treated as a victory for every single individual within the company, making it a overriding team effort.
A key priority for any company should be keeping employees informed of what’s happening and what’s to come internally. An enterprise collaboration platform allows you to create an internal community and easily inform the entire organisation of any news or achievements. For companies with offices in multiple locations and regions, it’s not possible to have company meetings where everyone is present. With an enterprise cloud platform, anyone within the company can visit a portal that has regular company updates. Employers can inform their workforce of company successes and create a sense of community and camaraderie.
Getting across the line
A rugby game is rarely silent. Players are continually screaming, shouting, and motivating each other. If they have one true constant, it’s communication. A team, whether on the rugby field or in a workplace, can only truly succeed if they work together. Collaboration is king, and more often than not, the key to success. An enterprise collaboration platform, such as HighQ Collaborate, can strengthen an organisation’s community and ability to communicate. The more a business communicates and collaborates, the more chances you’re giving yourself to succeed.
