What is your picture of the most efficient and engaged team in the world? How would you describe such a team? Personally, it has always been the image of a Special Forces / Black Ops military team. I just love how these guys operate, and not for the seemingly obvious reasons. Let me share three thoughts that I picked up from a fellow Ph.D. student at Regent University who happened to be a very high ranking officer in the US navy.

First, the focus is not so much on the position/hierarchy, rather the various functionalities that need to take the lead depending on the situation. The role of the team leader is therefore rather one of a conductor to these functionalities than merely the spear point leader. This leads to the second point in that it’s not about the Schwarzenegger / Rambo style leader with a bunch of yellow minions… where the hero survives after killing the predator, but everybody else dies. The focus is that of co-dependence, where everybody shares the burden; understanding that my performance has a direct bearing on everybody else in the team. Lastly, it is never a one-shoe-fits-all approach. Each member of a special forces team is handpicked for the unique skill they bring to the table – you need the team leader, medic, sniper, coms guy, tracker, etc. Nobody is expendable, and should one fail, it may jeopardize the lives of each one of their fellow members. I trust you are not in the middle of an actual war, but the Industry 4 market place does have remarkable similarities to a war zone. Is your team up for the challenge?

Read the article here