Could your team make it to the Final Four?

It’s March Madness, and I can’t help but draw parallels between the teams on the basketball floor and the executive teams I see in the business world. They both operate off the same set of basic principles:

Get the basics right. Know your core values and stay true to them. Stay positive and work together on shared goals instead of personal, isolated goals. You can’t win the game alone.
Trust your teammates. Empower each member of the team to succeed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your weaknesses are another’s strength. And it’s the strength of the team as a whole that counts.
Discipline and solid habits breed success. Practice, practice, practice. Listen to your coach, follow the plan and work together. Just like the “Rockefeller Habits” Execution Checklist, it all starts with a healthy and aligned team.
Don’t underestimate the underdog. How many times have we seen players come off the bench and save a game? Watch for those employees who might be a little under the radar, but who are ready to shine.
Peer accountability. Everyone matters and every team member needs to take ownership as well as raise the bar for others.

It seems pretty simple, right? Of course, we know it’s never as easy as it looks. Creating and maintaining a high-performing leadership team takes hard work, discipline and focus from the top. Every time a new member joins the team, it starts again—building trust, mastering healthy conflict, achieving commitment, embracing accountability and focusing on collective team results.

So, does your team have what it takes to make it to the Final Four… or even all the way to a championship?

If not, what’s holding you back? I encourage you to check out my one-day Building a High Performing Leadership Team Workshop. Let me help you get your team to perform at its highest level.

Now back to basketball with more stunning upsets and wild finishes. Good luck with your brackets!