[Mid-week slump bump] What's the best piece of teamwork-related advice you've ever heard?

If we all share just one thing, we could use this discussion thread as a free coaching session for future readers!

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If you care about your team's performance, then you should care about your team's health.

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If every single person likes you, you're a bad Scrum Master.

There is an element of truth in that for sure in any management role though I think you can have everyone respect you and still be good at what you do.

Like • Mel Policicchio likes this

As a people pleaser by nature, I grapple with the conflict that often comes with doing what will make people happy (in the moment) and what I think is the right thing to do. There's so much intention we need to have, so much decision-making involved in working with others lol.

I have heard this one inverted: "Scrum Masters are not happiness coaches".

Listen. Actively listen.

That's it, the amount of times people are distracted or not 100% there in a meeting, 121, a conversation is incredible and those on the receiving end can tell.

For me, to truly engage is to care and it makes a big difference to teams and culture.

Active listening is one of those things that we love to experience on the receiving end but tend to do less when we're on the giving end. Something I need to focus on every day.

Learn to be honest with yourself about which coworkers you like working with and which coworkers you like playing with!

As much as we learn about our teammates, I think working with others also teaches me a lot about myself! Great reminder.

At the end of the day, you're gonna remember your best teams by the feelings associated with those people. Not the launches or the budgets, but how y'all behaved. Great teamwork is about being good humans.

Like • Christine P. Dela Rosa likes this

<3 This is basically my goodbye speech at the end of every company I've left. And then I proceed to tell everyone what I remember about them.

How about a "better" one rather than "best"? (I don't believe in best practices, only better ones than what are currently doing :^)

When pondering something impacting the team, "take it to the team".

We've seen a ton of research recently on a substantial (not majority, but substantial) amount of individual contributors feeling like they aren't part of decision-making. And that they wish they could be.

So "taking it to the team" is so lovely to see.

"This not about me, this is not about you, we all are in this project. Either we fail or succeed together."

Like • Christine P. Dela Rosa likes this

Thinking of yourselves as a team unit versus a bunch of individuals is key. Mmhmm.

Like • Fadoua likes this

There is a french expression : "Better/Best" is the enemy of "Good" (le mieux est l'ennemi du bien)

Like • Christine P. Dela Rosa likes this

And vice versa as I think about Jim Collins' book "Good to Great" ;)

But yes @M Amine I think that just getting in there and trying new things is going to help way more than not doing anything and waiting around for the perfect fix that may never come.

It's cheesy and a cliché, but 'There is no I in TEAM' is a truth that has always helped pull teams together.

I had the opportunity to coach Junior High School Hockey from 2004-2011. There are so many lessons that I learned and used as a coach that are just as applicable in a professional setting as they are for 12-14 year old boys.

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Whenever I think about it, this quote and image come into my mind. If you focus on the TEAM and take your mind off the INDIVIDUAL, its a force multiplier - everyone's success is that much sweeter and celebrated together.