Teams who understand their common purpose can set aside their differences to achieve the desired results. They know how to keep the focus on the end goal without letting personal desires get in the way. It takes shared knowledge and a level of maturity to reach the desired outcomes.
Teamwork cannot exist where bullying is allowed.
The movie, Hidden Figures focuses on prejudice and how to overcome it despite tremendous opposition. The pecking order and prejudice in this movie is a type of bullying. When these African-American women spoke up at NASA for the good of the project, they gained respect and momentum. It is an on-going process to stand against bullying and the pecking order for the good of the organization as well as the employees.
Our motive and aspirations can only be obtained by those who have obtained the same maturity level.
Kevin Costner’s character in the movie realized it was more important to establish the United States as the leader in world power than to hold onto prejudice. It took his courage and skillful leadership to make it happen. Not everyone agreed with his decision to literally break down the barriers between Blacks and Whites but they followed his lead. This is change was necessary before they could work together to put a man on the moon and establish the United States world dominance.
We all get to the peak together or we don’t get there at all.
Teams cannot get the work done if someone is pulling in the opposite direction. Some employees become afraid they will not get noticed therefore allowing others to become more valuable. Some even sabotage the team for their own personal gain. They lose focus of what the team or organization is trying to accomplish and instead focus on the micro issues close to them – their own survival.
Knowledge is power only when it is shared.
Even in the movie, the mathematician could not do her job because they did not give her all the information. Knowledge was power to these men. The data was changing faster than she could turn it in. Finally, it took her willingness to stand up to her boss and explain why his team was failing. After she was allowed to attend the meetings, she could do her job quickly and efficiently. Knowledge becomes power when it is shared.
The key was they had a common purpose – they believed they could get a man on the moon and bring him home safely. This would put the US ahead of Russia. It was this belief that broke through their differences to achieve the goal they were tasked to do.
Teams who believe in a same common purpose can set aside their differences. This purpose guides them when they disagree and rises above personal gain. They may not like each other but they are able to overcome it.
Successful teams will share the knowledge so they can all reach the peak together.
Source: www.workersmarts.com/blog
