Teamwork – NASCAR Shows How

Lately I have become very interested in watching car races, particularly the NASCAR events. I am learning more about the different teams, the scoring and how this sport works. The most interesting facet of these events to me is observing the teamwork. I always assumed that much of the work was the responsibility of the driver to pull off the win, but I have now realized that this is truly a team sport.

Teamwork in this sport, as well as in most sports, can make a 10th of a second difference resulting in a win or a loss. Every single member of the pit crew must be on top of their game when that race driver brings in their car for tires, refueling or repairs. Just one person missing a beat during these critical pit stops can lead to a loss for that team. 

It’s not only the pit crew that must be spot on, but the crew chief must get the race car set up for the driver’s success, make critical late-race strategy decisions, call the shots, communicate with the driver, give the pit crew directions and manage the road crew (mechanics and general utility). And obviously, the driver is the one who benefits from the teamwork. 

After Chase Elliott won the Bank of America ROVAL 400 in Charlotte, the crew chief was interviewed and asked what strengths he brought to the team. I found it very interesting that he did not mention any of the tasks that I listed above. He quickly stated that his strength was keeping a cool head and making sure all 21 team members kept a level head as well. He went on to say that excellent communication is critical to their success. There is so much pressure and tension throughout the race day that they cannot afford even one miscommunication, one heated discussion or one bad attitude.

This got me thinking about how critical it is to have the right team in place in order to be a success in whatever your end game is. Good teamwork doesn’t just happen on its own. It needs to be cultivated, become part of the workplace philosophy and integral to your people, processes and culture. 

By the most basic definition, a team culture is made up of the values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors shared by a team. It is how people work together toward a common goal and how they treat each other. A key component in all of this is “trust.” 

“Trust is important not just in our personal lives, but also in the workplace," according to Sandler Training. "When employees do not trust each other or their managers, all sorts of problems start to arise: collaboration and communication stagnates, innovation ceases, employee engagement declines, productivity falls and time spent in the workplace becomes unbearable.”

So how do we build and maintain trust within an organization? Throughout my many years of owning my own business and consulting with many different organizations, I can safely say that trust is a result of healthy communication. Healthy communication must start at the top level and be fostered throughout. 

Productive communication covers too many topics for me to cover in just one article, so here are two ideas that can make a difference.

Listening Skills   

Many times people have selective hearing. They only hear what they want to hear. Some people are too busy doing the talking and too impatient to listen. This type of communication can lead to mistakes. When communicating with people with poor listening skills, ask them to clarify what they just heard from you. Ensure that there is a real understanding of the conversation you just had.

Assertiveness vs. Aggressive Behavior vs. Non-Aggressive Behavior 

Way too often problems arise when someone is either aggressive or non-aggressive in their tone or words. Assertiveness is the healthiest form of communication. It is direct and honest. It shows self-respect and respect for others. It looks for win/win outcomes. Non-assertive behavior is passive and indirect. It shows signs of not wanting to commit or taking responsibility. This type of behavior does not enhance teamwork. Everyone on the team needs to be an active participant. Aggressive behavior is unacceptable on any team. This type of communication can be active or passive, direct or indirect. It always communicates an impression of superiority and disrespect. It can be verbal or non-verbal. Body language alone can say so much.

Conflict Management is important to healthy communication. Different opinions can occur while building a great team. We need to encourage brainstorming and problem-solving. But we need to be sure it does not become personal, which can create disagreements, aggressive verbal attacks or threats and ultimatums. 

As the crew chief said after the race, his job is to set the driver up for success. He always needs to keep a cool head and make sure that everyone is always communicating in the most productive manner. I believe this is the job of every person who is responsible for a team.