While sports and engineering seem to inhabit two different worlds,there is something that engineering teams can learn from successful sports teams who not only succeed in getting to the top but stay on top for a long time and establish new standards while staying on top.
Strategize off the field/Execute on the field
Teams always strategize their game plans before the actual game and don’t leave the planning during the game.Various scenarios including best possible and worst possible are discussed and a game plan put in place.Similarly engineering teams need to plan beforehand-This can be designing or planning for resources and then actually doing the execution.
Understand each team members strength and weakness
If you put your best attacker in a defense team,he is going to be a failure.Same sport -different role and the same talent but a wrong application of skill set is not a good sign.It’s important to understand each team member’s strengths and weakness and assign appropriate role according to the skill set in engineering teams.
Establish a vision.
One common theme among all successful teams is that they don’t aim for overnight success.There is a vision that is shared by a core group of team and each success or failure along the way is small step towards achieving the vision.Normally companies have a mission statement but smaller groups within the companies should also have their own vision under the umbrella vision for the company which can be achieved and measured during the way.
Assign Leadership Roles within the team
Another aspect of successful teams is that they divide the group with a high-level skill sets and assign leaders with mentoring skills and motivation to lead the sub-groups.This not only gives them responsibility but also makes them part of success and failures.
Celebrate individual successes
A good indication of a successful team is when people start giving credit to the team instead of self when enjoying success.So celebrate individual success and have team members recognize individual success as team success.
