| It takes a large, multi-skilled team to get any F1 | | | | - The application, optimisation and combination of |
| car onto the race track. And it takes another | | | | individual talents. |
| large, multi-skilled team to get it round the track. | | | | Yet for your people there is no equivalent of a |
| Races are won, not by the driver's performance, | | | | Constructors' Title. |
| but by the team's. Often it is the pit crew who | | | | You are concerned about how you are doing in an |
| determine the outcome of a close race. So who | | | | increasingly competitive global market. You focus |
| gets the glory? The driver! | | | | much of your strategy on beating the |
| Yet to whom is that extra split second really | | | | competition; what you read and much of what |
| attributable? Yes the driver risks life and limb to | | | | you say is peppered with references to |
| become champion. But his team determines the | | | | competition. As a result you continue to demand |
| degree of that risk, and his championship placing. | | | | improved performance and greater productivity, |
| No wonder there is a constructors' title as well! It | | | | but you offer comparatively little in return. You do |
| is the least the sport can do to recognise the | | | | little to fire the competitiveness of your people. |
| people who make it all happen. | | | | And what you do to increase their |
| The fact is that success is rarely attributable | | | | competitiveness actually undermines the team |
| solely to one individual, no matter how solitary the | | | | effectiveness. You try to motivate them by |
| activity. Talent always has to be nurtured and | | | | creating incentives to improve their performance. |
| equipment refined to create that narrow margin | | | | As you know these are widely acknowledged to |
| between first and also ran! Team sports try to | | | | have only a limited short term effect. But what |
| recognise this by awarding "assists" to players | | | | you fail to recognise is that the self interest they |
| who help set up scoring opportunities. But F1 is | | | | create invokes jealousy, conflict and divisions that |
| different, because it is one of the very few | | | | undermines your efforts and destroys effective |
| sports that recognises the back room boys and | | | | teamwork. Sub-teams work for their own team |
| the contribution they make. In fact you could | | | | goals and not those of the organisation - the |
| argue that the Constructors' Title is the "real" title, | | | | ultimate team. |
| especially in this modern era where it more about | | | | You will never win the hearts and minds of your |
| the car than the driver. | | | | people in the way you need to if you persist with |
| Is this necessary? Certainly F1 teams would exist | | | | these tactics. You must find some way to realign |
| without it and they would likely perform nearly as | | | | everyone in the organisation to win the employee |
| well. After all F1, perhaps more than any other | | | | engagement you need to deliver the strategic |
| sport, inspires a passion that almost defies logic. | | | | alignment required to compete effective. That is |
| So it doesn't take much to inspire the people | | | | why you need some kind of Constructors' Title. |
| who, in any event, are doing something they love. | | | | Of course that is where the comparison between |
| Yet this applies across the sport, so what is the | | | | business and F1 appears to fall down, because |
| 'extra' that 'drives' the champion team to beat the | | | | business is not a sport and there is no table and it |
| rest? | | | | is not really feasible to try to create one. |
| It is a camaraderie and alignment that creates an | | | | Nevertheless it is possible to create a similar |
| atom more synergy; the determination to always | | | | effect and surprisingly it is not very difficult. You |
| improve personal performance and be a credit to | | | | have to do only two things: |
| the team, and encouraging others to feel the | | | | 1. Eliminate all incentive remuneration and bonus |
| same. When fractions of a second are vital and | | | | structures; and |
| the slightest slip can spell disaster, each | | | | 2. Replace it with a model that has everyone |
| understands the big picture and has total | | | | focused on business results rather than their own. |
| confidence in his own abilities and his colleagues'. | | | | The way to do this is simple. It is to make all |
| The Constructors' Title however, gives it an | | | | your employers co-owners of the business and |
| added edge. It makes it that much more | | | | offer them a transparent, equitable way of |
| worthwhile and gives each individual the added | | | | participating in its results, even while recognising |
| competitive urge to personally try even harder, | | | | that people contribute in different ways. |
| knowing that there is something more at stake. | | | | There is a way to create such ownership. What is |
| This is something that is definitely missing from | | | | more it comes at no cost to your business or |
| the business world. Like F1 your business also | | | | your employees and it overcomes the |
| requires a large, multi-skilled team. Timing may not | | | | shortcomings of all existing employee share |
| be quite so precise, but it is just as important that | | | | ownership models. It might not have the same |
| everyone works at their optimum and acts at | | | | cachet as winning a Constructors' Title, but it will |
| precisely the right time and in the right way. In | | | | have the same credibility or more; and - more |
| both cases team effectiveness depends on: | | | | importantly - it will achieve the same or better |
| - The strength of collective purpose; and | | | | end results. |