Now that spring is among us, it is time for our thoughts to turn to warm weather, fresh cut grass, and the crack of the bat at baseball fields. Since my son has become interested in baseball, I have spent my fair share of time at the baseball field. I have never liked baseball, partly because I did not appreciate the artistry of it and frankly, the pace drives me crazy. However, the more I have thought about it, the more connections I draw between the beauty of baseball and the orchestration of effective Teaming!
In our world, we hear so much about collaboration and teaming and the importance of working together. Recently, I was at my son's baseball practice, and the team had finished with practicing skills, and it was time to run around the field. The coach gathered the boys around him and gave them specific directions, "We are not in a race. You want to stay together, so watch your teammates. When one is behind, slow down and wait for them. This is not a competition." Now, telling 10 and 11 year olds that anything is not a competition is asking for trouble. When the boys started, of course, the faster ones sprinted out, and the coach had to continually remind them to slow down and wait for the others to catch up. I could not help thinking about how this applies to teams in schools and organizations:
We are individuals in a group, and there are clearly some with more talents, and we need to rely on those talents, but we need to spend time developing the interdependency that a team requires. There are often clear dilenations within teams of people's strengths and weaknesses, but taking time to remember that we are a team is perhaps the most important thing that you can do for your team.
The important takeaway for me is that teams are groups of individuals who collectively work together for a common good, and we need to make sure that we are working on how the team works.
So, we often spend time in our classrooms with students uncovering their weaknesses and their strengths to help support them, so what do we do to get to understand our colleagues in a team. Well, here are some ideas:
Engage the team in conversations and protocols that uncover our preferences for learning-- there are many-- Compass Points, True Colors, Strengths Finder-- that will help us understand how each of us supports our own learningAddress team norms to decide on how decisions will be made. Have clear rules that honors the team. Don't forget to make sure that you set up structures for introverts in your group to make sure that all opinions are heard and voices are at the table.Set up time in the group to periodically assess your processes to make sure that they are still processes that you need for your group.
The important takeaway for me is that teams are groups of individuals who collectively work together for a common good, and we need to make sure that we are working on how the team works.
On the other hand, I was watching my son's first game this past weekend, and it dawned on me that a baseball team is a perfect analogy for professional teams. A baseball team is one of the few sports where both the team and the individual is highlighted. The team collectively is important, but reliance on the team members is paramount. In a baseball game (especially at the level that my son plays), all players come up to bat, and in one moment that player is highlighted for all to see-- the good, the bad, the ugly! That is where the richness comes.
One question I ask myself is as a coach, what can I do to help the player who needs support? As a teammate, I ask myself what can I do to support my teammate? As a player, I ask myself how can I improve. As a team, we have to make sure that we have created an environment that allows for growth, risk-taking, failure, and celebration. This analogy is powerful in my mind because it is precisely what we need to do to support teachers in our professional teams, so here are some questions that I think are important to ask your teams:
How do we develop the culture of the team so that each member knows that he or she is supported and that each other knows others' experiences and expertise? (When I am up to bat, how do I know that others have my back?)
How am I being a supportive teammate? (When a team member needs support, how am I offering support in a way that promotes growth?)
Who else can we rely on to help support our team? (How can the coach help me and others to improve?)
Individually, how do we promote self-reflection that is authentic? (How can we use the highlight reels to improve?)
I have not been a huge baseball fan in the past, but I have begun to appreciate the artistry of the sport and the power of the team in baseball as a complex example of professional teams.