Recognize sacrifices

Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team can help leaders create a culture focused on collective, rather than personal results. We already discussed announcing group rewards to encourage your team to value collective success more than individual achievement, but it’s also important to note how you congratulate the team when they behave in ways you want to encourage. 

Michael Jordan said, “There are plenty of teams in every sport that have great players and never win titles. Most of the time, those players aren't willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. . . . Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships."

As a leader, you can keep your team focused on collective results over personal advancement, when you praise a team member for making a sacrifice in support of the team.

I’m not talking about working hard or long hours. 

I’m talking about when someone “takes one for the team,” such as pitching in resources, putting their department’s objectives in the back seat to achieve a team goal, or when someone takes on extra responsibilities that aren’t part of their personal goals but are needed to help the team succeed. 

Parents and kindergarten teachers know Thorndike’s “Law of Effect” – that a behavior that is followed by pleasant or desirable consequences is likely to be repeated.

Yes, I am saying that leadership can sometimes feel like being a kindergarten teacher.