維持團隊最重要的特質

我最近在讀 Bob Briner 的書「耶穌的領導課The Leadership Lessons of Jesus註1」時，常常被提醒一件事。Briner 從他數十年在運動領域的經驗，指出有效領導必要條件就是在團隊裡面產生並保持「合一」。

成功的教練經常會放棄很有才能但卻會造成不合一的球員。剩下的球員雖然沒那麼有才能，但是他們常常更成功。Briner 在書中寫道: 「合一是非常重要的，沒有其他的東西能夠代替。它也是維持成功最重要的條件。一個成功的領袖會盡他(她)所能去建造那些對合一有貢獻的人，並且去掉那些在團隊裡不合一的。」

「合一」確實能帶著團隊達成特定的目標。但是更大的合一卻是包含了彼此同心完成企業核心的共同目標、異象、價值觀的互相承諾。作者強調，分裂可能會毀掉一個很有潛能團隊。

合一不是制式化。制式化指的是堅持每個人想法一致、說話方式一致、行為模式一致，如果是這樣，那就毀了合一。獨裁的領導有時會堅持制式化，但就像在運動團隊裡，團員們每個人都有自己的角色和要負的責任，但因為要贏得比賽這個共同的目標而合一。企業裡、專業團體或運動團隊裡的合一要能夠包容不同意見和方法，為得是要達成共同的使命。

當我還是個雜誌編輯的時候，計劃會議是我一天當中重要的工作，我必須要把自己、編輯助理、長官、企業經理和其他工作人員的意見整合做出為我們讀者服務的刊物。

聖經也經常強調合一的重要性。例如用人體的器官做為例子。另外，耶穌為了達成他在地上的使命，他的團隊包容各式各樣的門徒。二千年之後，我們從這一小群像是烏合之眾的門徒身上看到合一的力量。

不合一造成破壞。我們經常在企業團隊裡面看見很有天份的重要人物，把他們個人的目標和野心放在團體之前，卻不想有效率地與人合一，他們因為自我中心低估了團體的工作。「若一國自相紛爭，那國就站立不住；若一家自相紛爭，那家就站立不住。」(馬可福音3章24-25節)

合一能彼此建造。一個真正的團隊，隊員們願意熱心地一起工作，彼此扶持、盡力讓彼此成功。「所以，在基督裏若有甚麼勸勉，愛心有甚麼安慰， 聖靈有甚麼交通， 心中有甚麼慈悲憐憫，你們就要意念相同，愛心相同，有一樣的心思，有一樣的意念，使我的喜樂可以滿足。凡事不可結黨，不可貪圖虛浮的榮耀；只要存心謙卑，各人看別人比自己強。各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。」(腓立比書2章1-4節)

註1：台灣出版社未引進此書，由cbmc總會自行翻譯書名。

勞勃．泰默西是領袖資產協會的傳播部副部長，這是一個總部在美國喬治亞州亞特蘭大的非營利組織。

I was reminded of this recently while reading a portion of the late Bob Briner”s book, The Leadership Lessons of Jesus. Drawing from his decades of involvement in the world of sports, Briner pointed out one essential quality for effective leadership is creating and sustaining unity within the team:

“Successful coaches often get rid of very talented players that cause disunity. The remaining players, though less talented, are often more successful,” he wrote. “Unity means so much. There is no substitute for it. It is a prerequisite for sustained success…. A wise leader does all he or she can to build with those who contribute to unity while eliminating the causes of disunity from the team.”

Unity on a team certainly applies to achieving a specified objective. But unity goes beyond that to include a mutual commitment to the same mission, vision and corporate values that undergird the enterprise. Failure to achieve such unity, Briner noted, can divide, even destroy a team with great potential.

This, however, does not mean uniformity. Uniformity – insistence that everyone think, speak and act in an identical manner – can actually undermine unity. Autocratic leadership sometimes insists on uniformity. But just as on a sports team, players have different roles and responsibilities, yet are united around the common goal of winning – team unity in a business or professional setting allows for differences that complement the overall effort needed for accomplishing the mission, leaving ample room for diverse ideas and approaches.

When I was a magazine editor, planning sessions were highlights of my day as we merged the varied perspectives of myself, assistant editor, art director, business manager and other staff into our common mission of creating a publication that would serve our readers. We had conflict. Sometimes argued. And often laughed. We achieved unity, without mandating uniformity. The whole was greater than the sum of our parts.

The Bible addresses the subject of unity often, using the human body as an example. And in establishing His earthly mission, Jesus certainly had an extremely diverse collection of followers. Yet 2,000 years later, all over the world we see the power of the unity possessed by that initial small, rag-tag group.

Disunity destroys. Often in business we find key members of a team, talented individuals, putting their own goals and ambitions ahead of everyone else. Rather than pulling together effectively, like a matched team of oxen, they undermine the work overall by their self-centeredness. “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:24-25).

Unity builds up. A true team consists of members willing and eager to work together, support one another, and do all they can to enable one another to succeed. “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ…then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:1-4).

Robert J. Tamasy is vice president of communications for Leaders Legacy, Inc., a non-profit based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.