What the England rugby side can teach you about teamwork


As you are all most likely aware, England are hosting the Rugby World Cup this year. Putting aside the score-lines, the sweat and the adrenaline; what is important to remember is that teamwork is vital for succeeding in any team, whether on the pitch or in an office.

1. Develop an ambitious environment

Winning isn’t from being lucky, nor is it from one individual in particular. Everyone including the management and individuals all pull together to create an environment in which you feel it’s your duty to be the best. You could be the most talented person in the room, but that doesn’t automatically mean success. For example, in rugby, the small details from nutrition to sports science can all add to winning the match. If you build a winning environment, people will feel the responsibility to work hard, improve, be selfless and dedicate themselves to their role. The 2003 Rugby World Cup final was won in extra time which proves that details really matter.             

2. Deal with pressure as a group, not as an individual

Everybody in sport, business or life faces challenges and pressures and it isn’t always easy to handle. Sometimes you could drop a catch in rugby and lose the game and that can be tough to deal with. But the most important thing for dealing with pressure is to be surrounded by the right people who can support you. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But having a good team where people support each other means everybody is better off.

3. Successful teams are built on honesty

In any high-pressure environment, everybody has got to feel able to contribute to the success of the team. Everybody’s opinion is important, although challenging things at the right time is essential – in meetings for example. If you have work-related problems, avoid bickering about them and approach them with an honest and professional attitude otherwise the team will struggle.

4. Respect how your colleagues are different to you

The team is always more important than the individual, but that doesn’t mean you don’t appreciate or acknowledge individual personalities. Some people handle work and pressure differently than others. Some might need an arm around the shoulder and some might need a kick up the backside. But as a group you need to know what motivates each individual whilst learning their strengths and weaknesses to bring out the best in them. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Six safety wear basics

Image
Making sure people are equipped and dressed to do their work safely and healthily should be common sense, but it’s also required by law. The Health and Safety Executive says that people must be protected against any health or safety risks at work. Where health and safety cannot be adequately controlled in other ways, the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 require employers to provide suitable Personal Protective Equipment. When companies provide Personal Protective Equipment they have to make sure it’s properly assessed to ensure it is fit for purpose, that it’s stored and maintained correctly, that users are provided with instructions on how to use it properly and that it’s used correctly. This doesn’t just extend to workers. Customers and visitors also have to be protected whenever they are in any workplace or site with health and safety risks. Personal Protective Equipment reduces workplace accidents and ensures the safety of all site users. It’s essen...
Read more

The Key to Creating Effective Emails

Image
Email is a widely used tool for business communications and the average office worker receives over 80 emails every day. Therefore, we must create effective emails to be noticed above the bunch.  However, how can you avoid your emails from causing tension and confusion, being ignored, or sent to the spam folder? And how can you write emails that get the results you want? Many of us are unaware that the answer to this solution is simply to have the correct content. However, this is easier said than done since the strategy can be complicated. This article looks at strategies you can use to ensure that your use of email is clear, effective, and successful. 1. Don't over communicate by email. One of the biggest sources of stress at work is the sheer volume of emails that people receive. So, before you begin writing an email, ask yourself: "Is this really necessary?” You should even think about using the phone to deal with questions or queries that are likel...
Read more

The Office Heatwave: How To Cope

Image
It’s often that we’re looking to turn the heating up in English offices, as sunny days are a rare accompaniment to our usual week in the office. But with the weather being surprisingly hot lately, we decided to put a few top tips together to help you cope with oppressive office heatwaves and, hopefully, keep you going until the beer garden calls at the end of the day. 1. Ditch the coffee Did you know that during these hot summer days you need to rehydrate with at least 2-3 litres of water a day because we tend to sweat more? This brings us to rule number 1 - Hydration. Get this wrong, you might as well bang your head on the desk a few times to match the headache (and potential heatstroke) that you will be suffering with. You know that water cooler you have in the office? Use it. Our advice would be to bring in a bottle and fill that up, as those tiny little plastic cups can easily fool you into thinking that you’ve drunk enough for the day. (Don’t ...
Read more