imapMyTeam Blog

A Dream Team Takes the Field

This week Major League Baseball has taken a break from the regular season. Tonight the 87^th annual All Star Baseball game will be played in San Diego. The “Midsummer Classic” has been a fan favorite since the very first game played at Comiskey Park as part of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. (Fun Fact: It was intended to be a one-time affair to boost morale during the Great Depression but was so successful it was deemed the Game of the Century by newspapers across the country.)

The exhibition game matches the National League against the American League and features the best of the best at each respective position; a “dream team” as determined by the fans. It’s an exciting event for players and they are anxious to do their best. Even though this team is clearly made up of individuals that have distinguished themselves at their diverse positions on the field, they will need work together to align their talent and skills toward team success.

The same is true in business.

The strongest teams are skilled, coordinated, filled with energy, and diverse in what they bring to the table. So what are the key considerations to maximize the effectiveness of such a team? Use your Team Dynamics Report at imapMyTeam® and refer to the strength pages to consider:
A dream team effort starts with everyone on the team understanding exactly why the team exists. Without this initial team alignment, there will be frustration. Talk about and define the goals needing to be reached, why it’s important to the team and how it fits with the larger picture of the project or organization.

The whole team will need help understanding the individual strengths of the team so they can be fully used. Teams’ abilities are enhanced when they understand the strengths of each player on the team so they can utilize them when needed

Allow people to contribute from their individual points of strength. When people are allowed to operate from their preferred approach, they are at their best and may turn in the star performance necessary to move the whole team forward

Are the right people there? Having all your bases covered is critical and if the team is imbalanced it does not mean they cannot be successful. They just need to understand when they need to adapt to cover a perspective they may be missing.

imapMyTeam® is the right tool to ensure everyone on the team understands the strengths of the team and develops a respect for the diversity represented. Teams that learn to rely on the right strengths and take a balanced approach to meet the needs of the project or business are in an excellent position to achieve success.

There is a famous photo from that very first game that features Lou Gehrig greeting Babe Ruth at home plate after Ruth hit a two-run homerun. Those names should tell you the game was special. More special is a picture of team-mates supporting each other and acknowledging the other’s special strengths.


Enjoy the game tonight!