When learning a skill people often look to masters of the craft for inspiration and guidance. Learning how to make frescos? You’re studying Michelangelo and Raphael. Writing the great American novel? We bet you’re reading William Faulkner or Toni Morrison. Crafts like these are developed and honed through practice and dedication. Here at Museum Hack we believe these elements are true for team building as well. It helps to think about team building as an investment – one that requires devotion and dedication, but not in a scary way! It’s an investment in the sense that you need to be devoted to your teams and dedicated to making them successful.
We’ve rounded up team building tips from the world’s most famous teams. From Cirque du Soleil to the United States Postal Service, these epic teams have mastered the art of teamwork.
Let’s take a look at how some of the world’s most famous teams do team building!
Cooperation: The Cirque du Soleil
There is no denying the fact that the Cirque du Soleil is one of the most prestigious, efficient and magical teams out there. A brand built on the sum of its team members, The Cirque du Soleil must function as one or face disaster.
In a recent interview, President and CEO of the circus, Daniel Lamarre, discussed how important cooperation is to the success of the company. Lamarre focuses on the important “force” that is born from cooperation and how that energy fuels the success of their teams.
Think about it. If one performer doesn’t work cooperatively or completely in sync with another performer, an acrobatic move can be life threatening. Because of this we see trust going in hand in hand with cooperation, especially in the Cirque du Soleil model.
Tip: Encourage your teams to bond. They need to get to get to know each other in order to trust one another and to build strong connections. It’s these types of connections that will help foster cooperation. Trust is critical not only to team success but also to the overall success of a business. Take part in fun team building activities (like a museum tour) to help build stronger teams. Activities that are fun and improve trust within your team, help make cooperation second nature.
Commitment: The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones have been a band for over 50 years and even though they’ve had their ups and downs, we suspect there may be a method to the madness, especially when the band’s career has lasted longer than a lot of businesses. A band is essentially a business, so what the secret? According to Khou Tu, author of “Superteams: The secrets of stellar performance from seven legendary teams”, The Stones’ success lies in the fact that each member of the band has a distinctive but complementary role. This means that each member of the team contributes something unique, something completely their own. But when the team comes together, each person’s’ contributions fall into place to make a “whole”.
The idea of individual contributions in teamwork settings also ties into the importance of commitment. If not all of the band are committed to the same goal, then the success of the team is challenged. The Stones’ have always been committed to performing, to creating music, and sharing this with others. So, despite all their major differences and rocky relationships, they were able to agree on one thing – staying committed to their cause.
Tip: Make sure your team members understand how important their roles are in the overall success of the company. Help them understand how their roles works in sync with the roles of their coworkers. Encourage cross-departmental team building activities, where members from other teams and departments can bond. Focus on the overall growth of all your teams, not just individuals. If an employee is committed to their work, not only because they are proud of it, but because they see how it fits into the overall success of the business, they are more likely to give 110 percent.
Efficiency: The United States Postal Service
You do have to admit that the USPS is one of the most highly efficient and productive teams out there. Delivering and processing over 509 million mailpieces per day and 5,890 pieces per second, the USPS relies on teams and teamwork to succeed. In order to stay efficient, the USPS must put employees and employee training high on its priorities list. This is why employees are given all the tools, training, and resources they need to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.
This focus on employee training pairs directly with an effort to embrace innovative technology as well. This perfect blend of people and technology is what makes the USPS so efficient. (Fun Fact: The longest rural delivery route for a USPS employee is in Mangum, Oklahoma. The carrier actually travels a whopping 187.6 miles per day, delivering 240 boxes.)
Tip: Equip your teams with the knowledge they need to be experts at what they do. Offer training and encourage them to learn new skills and try new tools. By providing them with all the resources they need to do their jobs, they will be able to work more efficiently. Group trainings for new products or technology are a great opportunity to combine team building and professional development!
We hope these tips inspire you to invest in your teams and look for new and unique ways to support them. Keep an eye out for more posts like this! What famous teams inspire you? Let us know on Twitter!
