Last week, I heard a speaker talking about the importance of community. He used the phrase, “It takes a village”. I’ve heard this phrase numerous times before, but haven’t really dwelled on its meaning. Often, it does take a village to get things done. As I thought about his comment, it’s not any different in the workplace because there it “takes a team”. We have a great team at EnableComp and we understand the importance of teamwork.
One of our Core Values is “Empowered Team Members”. We describe it as “We foster a spirit of we before me”. All great teams live that mantra. Problems develop when someone thinks they are better or more important than the team. We work hard to develop a culture of teamwork here, but it’s easier said than done. Most companies, or at least the smart ones, are looking for ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. There are many ways a company can do that, but the most significant way is to through hiring, developing and retaining great employees who work together as a team. We want Empowered Team Members at EnableComp and focusing on the following 3 C’s are important.
- Cultural Fit – We are intentional about our creating and sustaining our culture. During the interview process, our managers are trained to ask specific questions to determine whether the candidate would be a good fit for our culture. If they aren’t, they won’t be hired.
- Communication – Team members want to know what their company is trying to accomplish so they can contribute. Every year, we share our goals and strategic initiatives with every employee and update them quarterly on our progress. Many of our new teammates tell me it’s the first company they’ve worked for that does this and how much they appreciate our transparency.
- Competence – Every team member needs to be able to perform his or her job to the best of their ability. If they don’t, it impacts the entire team and the organization. We are committed to providing the tools, resources and training to help every employee succeed. The team is only as strong as the weakest link.
Former UCLA men’s basketball Coach John Wooden, who won 11 NCAA Championships, including 10 in a row, valued and taught teamwork. He had two great quotes on teamwork.
“A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group for the good of the group, that’s teamwork.”
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, you need a team.”