r-carroll
Rob Carroll
Senior Operations Analyst
View Profile

To achieve great things, you need a team. At Implementation Engineers, every member of our team is hired to develop a team that lives the values of teamwork each and every day.  All new hires receive a copy of The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John Maxwell because building a winning team requires an understanding of these principles. To achieve Performance Excellence, you need to add value and invest in your team so the end product benefits from more ideas, energy, resources, and perspectives. 

Great Leaders Understand the Laws of Effective Teamwork

The following summarizes a few “Laws of Teamwork” from John Maxwell’s book.

The Law of Significance

I have heard it said, “There is no I in TEAM”.  The Law of Significance certainly speaks to that point.  In summary, people try to achieve great things by themselves mainly because of the size of their ego, their level of insecurity, or simple naiveté and temperament. One is too small a number to achieve greatness. One person can make a difference but it takes a team to build lasting impact.

The Law of the Niche

All players have a place where they add the most value. Essentially, when the right team member is in the right place, everyone benefits. To be able to put people in their proper places and fully utilize their talents and maximize potential, you need to know your players and the team situation. Evaluate each person’s skills, discipline, strengths, emotions, and potential.  In the book, Good To Great, the author speaks of getting the right people on the bus.  It is my contention we also need the right people in the right seat on the bus.

The Law of The Chain

Within Continuous Improvement we talk about the Theory of Constraints. No process lead time is faster than its slowest step. There is a similar concept within the strength and effectiveness of a team.  The strength of the team is impacted by its weakest link. When a weak link remains on the team the stronger members identify the weak one, end up having to help he/she, come to resent that individual, become less effective, and ultimately question their leader’s ability.

The Law of The Catalyst

John Maxwell says, “Catalysts are not consultants. They do not recommend a course of action, they take responsibility for making it happen”. Implementation Engineers falls under the “consultant” umbrella but we go beyond consulting to “implementation”.  We are “catalysts” for change meaning we walk along side our clients every step of the way to make positive transformation happen. Winning teams have players who make things happen. These are the catalysts, or the get-it-done-and-then-some people who are naturally intuitive, communicative, passionate, talented, creative people who take the initiative, are responsible, generous, and influential.

The Law of Accountability

Accountability to each other in a team is critical. Teammates must be able to count on each other when it counts. Is your integrity unquestionable? Do you perform your work with excellence? Are you dedicated to the team’s success? Can people depend on you? Do your actions bring the team together or rip it apart?

The Law of The Price Tag

The team fails to reach its potential when it fails to pay the price. Sacrifice, time commitment, personal development, and unselfishness are part of the price we pay for team success.

Subscribe To Newsletter