Between karaoke and Champions League...
What makes the real difference in strong teams? Are they more likely to play in the Champions League or just in a karaoke bar? A few thoughts on this in a new Success Impulse by Volkmar Völzke.
In a workshop the other day, I asked the question: "How can you tell if a team is really successful?" Silence at first. Then someone said: "Well, by the fact that we achieve our goals." That's not wrong - but it's also not the whole truth. Because, hand on heart: goals can also be achieved with a shrug of the shoulders. It feels more like: "Right, done. Next topic."
What distinguishes successful teams
But something else is noticeable in really successful teams: a different energy. A different spirit. There is enthusiasm in the air - almost as if the team had just won the Champions League. And perhaps just for something seemingly mundane: the punctual introduction of new software. Or successfully passing an audit. Or a well-moderated strategy workshop. What distinguishes such teams from others? The combination of a positive attitude and high standards.
Between aspiration and arbitrariness
A team with high expectations but low spirits is like a team that constantly complains that the pitch is too wet - instead of just playing the game. A team with a good mood but low expectations is reminiscent of a karaoke bar: everyone is having fun - but nobody wants to listen to the recording the next day. One makes you tired in the long run, the other remains nice but irrelevant. But when ambition and joy come together, something special is created. Then suddenly there is this force that not only delivers results, but also connects people.
Finding the right mix
It is clear that there is more going on here than just "service by the book" - and that is precisely what attracts others: Customers. New talent. And sometimes even people who had already resigned. That's why it's worth sharpening the focus in your own environment:
- Where is it too nice - but too arbitrary?
- Where do we overextend ourselves with demands - but forget to laugh together?
- And where would be the right moment right now to set a new standard - with joy and real energy?
Because the secret of exceptional teams lies precisely in this mix. Not in tools, not in methods, not in grand strategies. But in the daily interplay of ambition and enthusiasm. And that begins - as is so often the case - with a conscious decision.
To the author:
Volkmar Völzke is a success maximizer. Book author. Consultant. Coach. Speaker. www.volkmarvoelzke.ch
