“Individuals don’t win, teams do” Sam Walton (American businessman, founder Wal-mart stores 1918-1992):
When society started, small groups of hunters worked together to catch the larger wild animals, where performing as a team had enormous rewards. Everyone knew the objective – fulfilling the primary need for food – and was motivated to achieving it.
As society has evolved with greater and greater division of labor, mechanization and automation, the objectives of the individual have also evolved.
Individual objectives often no longer coincide with those of the other members of the group, the enterprise in which they work or society in general.
Having achieved their basic needs for the short term – food, shelter, clothing, security – people start to think about power, prestige, appearance.
They then start pursuing these secondary needs and can start to get into situations where values become distorted. A classic example is buying a house they can’t afford, or exaggerated consumerism.
Motivation towards the objectives of the enterprise may become a source of internal conflict for those who don’t feel they get adequate recognition, responsibility or rewards.
They may reduce their effort to the minimum or even start acting in a way that is detrimental to the business.
For example just doing enough to ensure that customers are satisfied rather than making an effort to smile and be helpful so that they exceed the customer’s expectations.
If a company can get the staff to feel a sense of community by forging a tight bond based on values and mission that makes them believe in the future of the company, huge benefits can be gained.
Greater commitment from the employees has immediate effects on efficiency – less absenteeism, less waste and lower staff turnover in addition to the customer satisfaction that brings in more business.
Less immediate, but of enormous potential, is the creativity that the motivated staff can bring to the company.
The development of a company culture where everyone is fully committed requires a management team who also show they are totally committed.
Clear and transparent communication is essential to achieve the company vision and to always know where they stand in the path achieving their goals.
Most people want to be part of a winning team and, like in a sports team, the support from their raving customers/fans will encourage them to keep going the extra mile.
