The KC Royals, a Workplace Model for Unbeatable Teamwork
Over the last couple of weeks, the Kansas City Royals have captured the attention of people all over Kansas City and beyond. With the World Series excitement, it doesn’t seem to matter if you’re a true baseball fan or not. Everyone is getting in the spirit of rooting on the hometown team to victory. Evidence of this can be seen everywhere you go, and people are making KC Royals gear a part of everyday wear from the workout room to the office.
Seeing the Benefits of Teamwork
As a whole, the Kansas City Royals possess an unbelievable amount of talent including multiple Golden Glove winners and trades such as pitcher Johnny Cueto. Without a doubt, each of the players shine as extremely talented baseball players but the true magic on the diamond happens when you see how the Royals come together as a team. This is evident in the double and triple plays responsible for the victories that moved the team to the American League championship and the battle for a spot at the World Series again this year.
Throughout the October American League series, we’ve saw examples of where teamwork came into play for the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets. When it occurs, it’s the stuff of replay magic and when it doesn’t, we turn away from the TV wondering what just happened. With considerably less fanfare and merchandising, the same scenario plays out each day in the workplace. As a result, most of us intimately understand the difference of being on a team that works well together and the difference when people try to do their own thing.
Getting to Know the Team
A big part of having a good and reliable team is taking the time to know what makes each of the members tick. Without knowing an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, there’s no way a good manager can place them in situations where they can thrive and elevate the team as a whole. In the case of the Kansas City Royals, each time a new member arrives from another team or from the AAA minors, there’s a necessary adjustment period for everyone on the team. As a result, players may need to shift and reassess their role in order to make the ultimate impact as a team.
Always Delegate – Knowing who can best complete a task is a way to save time and effort. Just make sure that there are also others who can share in the duties in order to avoid burning out a single individual.
Practice Empathy – Not everyone is going to be at their best every day. Recognizing and understanding this can be key to creating an atmosphere where people feel okay about sharing problems and asking the team to brainstorm a solution.
Provide Support – Trust in a teammate is not only critical to getting the job done but also providing a measure of self-esteem for the person completing the task. It’s always easier to put your best foot forward when you know you’ll have the support of those around you.
This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and temporary employment placement services.