Public Safety Insights Newsletter: February 26, 2014

Teamwork Gold from a U.S. Olympian
Public Safety Insight:	The best team members know that for the good of the team, sometimes they must give less than 100% of their individual efforts.

Recently I spoke with an athlete who is a veteran of three U.S. Olympic water polo teams, including the 2008 silver medalist team. While reflecting on the years spent practicing and competing with his fellow elite athletes, he shared a key insight. Early in his career, he gave 100% of his effort in every practice and competition. In fact, he believed it was his duty always to do his absolute best, no matter the situation. What he came to realize, however, is that sometimes his all-out efforts actually hurt the team, such as when they prevented others from honing their skills or trying new techniques because he was always there to assist or to do it for them. His biggest “aha” moment, he said, came when he realized that for the team to be successful, sometimes he had to step back so that others could step forward.

Exceptional teamwork is especially critical for public safety professionals who put their lives on the line every day and must rely on their colleagues to back them up. They must know each others’ strengths and weakness, and how to leverage or compensate for them effectively by adjusting their own efforts. Yet when the adrenaline is flowing, holding back for any reason may seem counterintuitive.  Below are eight ways to help people internalize the reality that giving 100% of their effort sometimes may be counterproductive. The intended outcome is to enable them to make the best decisions on scene by determining accurately when greater success requires the timely easing of individual efforts.

1. Keep the big picture in mind. It’s about the best outcome for the patient or victim at hand or the community, not about which team member exerts the most effort.
2. Evaluate current approaches to see where there could be opportunities for team improvement by a strategic lessening of individual efforts.
3. Show team members what’s in it for them to optimize their collective performance by engaging in compare and contrast scenarios.
4. During training, practice holding back when necessary, and highlight the difference when the team’s outcome improves as a result.
5. Allow rookies to learn by doing. Take the time to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of those new to your crews/shifts.
6. Recognize that others will do things differently than you would, and that’s okay as long as the methods are legal and ethical.
7. Take pride in your team members’ progress and accomplishments. Their success is your success.
8. Set a powerful example for others by holding back when it’s appropriate for the good of the team.

Especially when lives and property are at stake, public safety professionals no doubt are tempted to give 100% of their individual effort to solve the problem at hand quickly. Before doing so, they would be well advised to consider whether that decision will optimize the team’s success.

---

To find other articles and resources that may be of value to you, I invite you to visit my web site at www.PublicSafetyInsights.net.

---

Public Safety Insights is a concise, bi-weekly newsletter written specifically to help first responders maximize their performance. Your e-mail address is never shared with anyone for any reason. You may unsubscribe by clicking the link on the bottom of this e-mail.

©2014 Pat Lynch | Public Safety Insights