Buildin’ a Rock Hard "Body"

A well-oiled machine …

We mesh well …

Runnin’ in high gear …

Ya know, if I’ve heard it once I have heard it a hundred times. For years, people have been describing a desirable state for a team or an organization like a machine. Gears meshing, deal with the squeaky wheel. And to think all you gotta do to keep in running great is to add a little grease every now and then.

Is that really possible? Is it as simple as a little oil to keep it from grinding? Well, I don’t think so. Not … even … close.

See, here’s the thing. Organizations are not like gears and sprockets working in synchronization. It takes more than oil and power to keep it healthy. Teams and cultures are more like the human body and it’s organs. The greatest invention ever made is also a model for your leadership style.

Each organ has a purpose. Most parts of the body rely on one or more of the other parts to survive. It takes prescriptive care and feeding to stay safe, healthy and strong. And you must monitor the “vital signs” to know when to take corrective action.

Shared purpose. Reliance on the performance of others. Plans and processes to be successful. And metrics to verify how things are going. Hmmm, this really sounds a lot like leading a high performing team. Isn’t that the wildest thing?

And the cool thing is, you always have the roadmap with you!!

It takes more than grease and an adjustment every so often to enable a great team. The body is an amazing orchestration of systems and skills and ingredients. Lead with the body in mind and the results will beat any machine out there. Simply amazing!!