When a team is all aligned and coherent, we talk about “all singing from the same sheet”. It’s an apt metaphor, capturing the concepts of pace and flow, rhythm and attentive listening.
Another metaphor that captures the way teams come together to release greater energy than would happen when they are working individually is “coming to the boil”.
Put the two metaphors together and we get Steaming.
When I first saw this, I thought it was just another interesting play on words. On further reflection, however, I realised that combining the two metaphors was descriptive of how high performing teams manage their energy. Most of the time, great teams simmer along on a low flame. The sound of their energy being released is relatively quiet and paced. Then, from time to time, as needed, they turn up the gas and come to the boil, dropping back once the need has passed. When they are at the boil, the energy level and the rhythm of the breaking bubbles is far more frenetic and seemingly arhythmic.
This ability to “step on the gas” isn’t obvious in many standard teams. It takes ages to up the pace of collaborative activity. So, what is that’s special about the high performing teams?
The first thing is that they are always simmering – there is enough energy already to obviate the need for a warmup. The second is that the team members are attentive to the energy stated – their own and that of their colleagues – so are instinctively prepared for a change in pace. And thirdly, they have the flexibility to focus on what is important in the moment, automatically re-assigning priorities to tasks.
I once met a successful entrepreneur in his office. I had hardly sat down before he invited me to join him in a coffee a couple of blocks away. As we walked, he explained: “When I’m recruiting, I always go for a walk with the candidate. If they can’t walk as fast as me, then I don’t hire them. They don’t have the energy I expect of them.”
Idiosyncratic as this approach might be, it reflects a practical point. High performing teams need people, who can attune their energy to that of their colleagues and the immediate needs of the task. If one or more team members can’t demonstrate “energy flexibility”, the whole team’s ability to respond with requisite energy is reduced. Which raises the questions for team leaders and coaches:
- Is energy management a core teaming skill?
- Can we assist team members in developing appropriate energy flexibility?
If the answer to both questions is yes, then it makes sense to pay more attention to Steaming…
©️David Clutterbuck, 2024