Teams in flight

​I joined a large group of fellow entrepreneurs today at Eastbourne Airbourne and marvelled at the Red Arrows display over the shoreline.  And at myself that I managed to actually get some photographs of them and not just sky!
​
It got me thinking about teams and individuality, about how you blend the two together to get the supreme performance that the Red Arrows exhibited.

My first thought was about leadership and how you keep the team focused on what they have to achieve, safely and magnificently.  My thoughts though quickly turned to teams because that in effect is what makes the difference here: the elegance and power of a team working in harmony.

Each pilot has their own skills set and commitment to the task.  Excellence in their craft of flying is taken for granted, yet does not demean their professionalism.  As a whole they worked together with a harmony of quick thinking and precision decision making to keep their formations.  Then individual skills were shown as two would break off to shape their own patterns in the sky whilst the others stayed to one side.  There was no competition, no stroking of egos, merely an acknowledgement that each were good at their job, at their task.  There is an individual brilliance in what they do but also a collective one, one that is nurtured with the leadership of the anchor pilot.

And so it is, or could be, for teams in any organisation.  A common purpose, a collective will to demonstrate to all their peak performance.  An understanding of the skill blend that allows performance to shine and an equality of thought and respect for those skills.  Leadership shown by one and by all. 

Why does that so often not occur elsewhere?  Perhaps because teams become entrenched in their own dysfunction.  It's always been like this and 'we do well enough'.  How about doing excellently?  How about lifting your eyes and your thoughts to enable you to perform at your peak, individually and collectively?  Become the Red Arrows in your organisation.

​And if you want some help in doing that, pick up the phone and call, or email.