Taming of the Crew – Part 2

Jon Larson Family 0 Comments

On Monday I talked about how teamwork has payed great dividends in created great performances at CB Productions. Today I want to expand on that by talking about teamwork at work. The power and gratification that great teamwork provides, surpasses even individual accomplishments that most people would find to be the apex of achievement.

I often wonder why there is not more cooperation inside of organizations. It seems people often have a very narrow view of what they do in companies and only perform inside of those parameters. One outworking of this is not recognizing that the customers we have are both internal to organizations as well as external. We typically focus on the later. This inevitably leads to individuals and departments that become self sufficient and protective of their turf. By being near sighted, we often sacrifice long term gains, for more instant results. We fight the fires today at the expense of fire prevention for tomorrow.

Maybe today, we do not have the staffing we need. Maybe today, we do not have the processes in place that should be. Maybe today, we can’t afford to buy that certain software package we need. Well how can we get to the point of getting our needs met? I would suggest that as the health of an organization increases, so will the ability to have you needs met in your particular areas.

Have you heard of the debt snowball? It is pooling all your financial resources to pay off a particular debt. Once paid off, focus on the next debt, etc. The ability to get out of debt multiplies by using this process. It is financial teamwork. If you paid on each debt equally, you will stay in debt much longer. There is power in coming together. There is power in meeting others needs and sacrificing short term gains for long term health. You give up something now for something greater down the road.

Every time we help another department succeed, we are investing in our future. By cooperating with others, we all win.

So how do we do this? Each person in an organization was hired because they possessed certain gifts and talents that is unique to that position. As leaders it is important to unleash that potential by trusting them, encouraging them, and being a resource for them. Allow them to own problems in the area they are responsible for and provide time to get together in groups to foster teamwork. Everyone is a leader in some area of their lives, so exercise it where you can.

I know the power of teamwork. I have seen it in action. It is a force that surpasses anything that individuals can do on there own. It is a beautiful thing to watch. May the power of teamwork be unleashed in your life.

20
Apr 09

Taming of the Crew – Part 1

Jon Larson Family 0 Comments

This weekend we were a performance of “Taming of the Shrew” by a group of 13-18 year old homeschoolers (our youngest daughter is the assistant stage manager). Now maybe I am biased, but they put out a quality performance that rivals ANYTHING that is available in the Twin Cities. The Minneapolis area has more live theaters per capita than anywhere in the U.S. (outside of New York City) and is the third-largest theater market in the country.

This is the 5th play I have seen by CB Productions. The acting of each cast member is superb. Each production has been just as good as this one. I have seen the same actors in lead, major, and minor roles. Once the have had a lead role, they are just as gracious in a lesser role the next time around. There are no superstars, just a lot of depth. How can these productions be so good year after year? This is not an advertisement for CB Productions, but there is something going on here. I love to observe what makes them tick.

I was able to watch about 20 minutes of the group working together before today’s performance. It is probably my favorite part of the whole process. Before each performance, they get together as a group and go over “notes” from the last performance. These notes are a collection of reflections of what went well and what did not from the last performance. Then they all rate that performance from 1 to 10. Each person is a integral part of this whole process. Also, they pray before each performance. They form a circle, hold hands, and one person prays for that particular performance. Lastly, they play team games to loosen up before each performance. The do quirky, fun, and physical things to get the blood flowing.

Back to today’s performance. When I watched the prelude to today’s performance, I saw them do something I had not seen before. They were standing in a circle and they went around as each person told the group about what value the person, just to their left, brought to this production. It was very moving. Each person was able to hear something good and positive about another person.

What they do to build teamwork is foundational for their success. They do it over and over. The kids run the show, they have input, they make decisions, they are all valued. By the end of a performance run, each person feels like family. It is very emotional time on the last day because each goes their separate way for the year and for some, it is their last production. The whole thing is like a microcosm of life played out before you. It is a beautiful thing to watch.

On Wednesday, I will take about how this teamwork mentality is foundation for success at work as well as home. Till then . . .