If the Shoe Fits: Team vs. Team
by Miki SaxonA Friday series exploring Startups and the people who make them go. Read all If the Shoe Fits posts here
Team and culture are a startup’s bedrock for success, but culture takes priority because it is culture that attracts a great team.
Founders talk constantly about ‘the team’ and those listening, investors, media and employees, assume that “team” refers to all the company’s employees—not just a select few.
However, some founders have two teams, the one about which they talk and the team that exists covertly in their minds.
Mental teams consist of direct reports and pets, who are often close personal friends; public teams encompass everyone.
But it’s the mental team that takes priority and stays front and center in all decisions.
Having two teams is akin to having two sets of books—one reflecting reality, the other for show and tell—and, like a second set of books, mental teams trash cultural touchstones such as transparency, authenticity and trust.
Over the years an entire vocabulary has developed to talk about teams. When it’s used by founders who buy it, own it and mean it that language is enormously empowering; for the others it is pap—good for keeping all those not on the ‘real’ team in line.
One would think that trashing those touchstones would wreak more havoc with younger workers, who are considered more demanding, but in actuality older workers are just as turned off.
The exceptions, of course, being those who don’t see a problem, since they do the same thing.
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Users of Option Sanity may experience sudden increases in team cohesion and worker satisfaction. In cases where team productivity, retention and company success is greater than typical, expect media interest and invitations as keynote speaker.
Image Credit: Bun in a Can
