The energy of Teamership
In their book, "Time, Talent and Energy", Michael Mankins and Eric Garton suggest that "the more energy people bring to the workplace, the higher the quality of output they produce." That seems like a statement that is hard to argue with (I'd be really interested to hear your perspective if you disagree, by the way). Let's proceed assuming that the energy that people bring to work makes a difference to their performance and connect that with the role of Teamership.
Energy at work is a rabbit hole that you can dive into (I won't do that here!). As a concept, it is unsurpsrisingly complex. Energy at work is influenced by factors that range from physical (such as working conditions), physiological (including sleep and diet), psychological (motivation among others) and interpersonal. For the purposes of considering energy and Teamership, it is important to note the role of interpersonal factors. As Bradley Owens and others published in the Journal of Applied Psycholoigy in 2015:
"It is clear that individuals can be energised by other people."
Below are examples of how Teamership allows more energy to be brought to work - for individuals, teams and organisations.
Teamership generates energy for individuals
Consistently, being a part of a team that is performing well (not just getting results) is cited as an engaging. For over two decades, research has found statistically significant positive correlations between team-based work and belongingness, job satisfaction, empowerment, commitment and citizenship behaviour. All of these benefits are amplified and made more likely when individuals are actively bringing their best to teams and bringing out the best in their colleagues (in other words, being a great team member).
Teamership creates magnetic energy for teams
Beyond the inherent benefits that having great team members has on team performance, supporting great team members serves teams in other ways. Most notably, being a place where great team membership behaviours thrive attracts other great team members. It also makes the team more likely to be engaged by other teams or clients because the practices of being a great team member mirror those of being a great supplier, partner or client.
Teamership radiates energy across the organisation
One of the risks of closely knit teams is that they inadvertently become exclusive enclaves that guard their people, their expertise and their way of working. When Teamership is at its best, a mindset of abundance is pervasive. Individuals not only bring their best, but focus on helping others to do the same. Given that multiple team membership is the norm, that means that Teamership practices can and do create positive ripples and connections across organisations.
For this week, here are some questions for you to consider around the connections between Teamership and energy:
When has being a part of a team been an energising experience for you?
How could your team become more appealing to work with?
What positive influence can you have beyond your current teams?