A Team Without Egos

While watching the Suns as they swept the Nuggets out of the 2^nd round of the playoffs, I heard one of the commentators make a statement that really hit me. He said, “There are no egos on this team”. I thought, you know, he’s right, they all pass, they all score, they all do what is best for the team to win. They have younger players with no playoff experience, and they have older experienced leaders like Chris Paul and their coach Monte Williams. 

No egos on this team. I kept thinking of what that meant and how it affected teams in companies as well as sports. I thought about all the companies I worked with or ran and the teams they had. Every team without egos ran better, cooperated better, supported better, and had better outcomes. On those teams no one cared who got the credit, the focus was on getting results. 

I was living in Cleveland when the Cavs had LeBron. They were fun times for Cleveland basketball. The city had fun over those years as the Cavs won. The only difference between those teams and the current Suns was that the Cavs were LeBron’s team. That team had a superstar performer and the rest of the supporting cast. 

Then, of course, I shifted back to company teams and thought about what kind of team is best in a company. Is it a team with one member who has stand-out talent while everyone else just fills out the remaining positions? Or is it a team without egos? A team with talented and smart players who have not yet reached superstar status (and may never)? Which team provides the best outcomes, and which are better for sustainability and success over the long run?

Not sure there is one right answer. The situation may affect it. The work that the team must accomplish could affect it. When it comes to a team in a growing business focused on growing value, I know my choice is a diverse team with a mix of younger players along with older more experienced players to lead and mentor. A team that works together, supports one another, jumps in to do whatever is necessary regardless of their position or role, and stays focused only on the team’s success. A team without egos!