Creating exceptional teams in the corporate sector is a nuanced process, despite the universal recognition of the benefits of teamwork and collaboration. These teams need careful cultivation and support to achieve and sustain outstanding outcomes and a cohesive environment. Success stories from leading companies like Pixar, Netflix, Airbnb, Whole Foods, Zappos, Alibaba, and Patagonia credit their achievements to the formation of "extreme teams" that surpass their competition. These elite groups are bound by five key practices that are crucial to the development of successful teams. Robert Shaw has observed that significant accomplishments in business and society stem from the collective effort of small groups with ambitious objectives. It's the synergy of teams, rather than individual efforts, that creates impact. Extreme teams fulfill a fundamental human desire to connect with others in the pursuit of meaningful and sometimes daring goals.
Extreme teams, unlike conventional ones, view their work as a calling, bordering on an obsession. They are driven by a passionate belief that they are destined to make a significant impact on the world. This belief, often cult-like, fuels their conviction in their ability to overcome adversity and prevail. Interestingly, many extreme teams generate more profits because they are not primarily focused on financial gain. Instead, they are engrossed in the work they love, viewing profits as necessary but not the primary driving force. A prime example of this is Patagonia, an American clothing company that designs and sells environmentally friendly outdoor clothing and equipment. Its founder, Yvon Chouinard, is an environmentalist who has built a $750 million company, not by focusing on making clothes or money, but by striving to influence other companies and customers to do the right thing for the environment. Extreme teams are populated by individuals who are completely obsessive about their mission, attracting people who are fully committed and deeply passionate about what they do. This obsession manifests in three interconnected ways: an obsession with the product, an emotional investment in working alongside equally passionate individuals, and a desire to have a tangible impact on society. However, this obsession can also have downsides. Teams can obsess over the wrong things, strive for unattainable goals, or fail to understand business trade-offs, leading to missed deadlines and blown budgets. They can also burn out their own team members with unreasonable demands and excessive work hours, or alienate those whose support they need. Despite these potential problems, obsession is seen as the foundation for making great things happen. Cutting-edge firms have a critical mass of obsessive people and teams, whose obsessive nature is both a blessing and a curse – necessary to achieve something extraordinary but potentially destructive if not managed well.
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