I was scrolling through BodyShop Business’s Twitter feed the other day when I came across a quote that stood out to me as I had never seen it before.
I had heard the famous quote “There is no ‘i’ in the word ‘team’” before, but this particular quote on Twitter had a different twist: “The ratio of We’s to I’s is the best indicator of the development of a team.” The quote was posted by Pro Spot, and it was credited to Lewis B. Ergen.
It struck me as a very clever way to determine how far along you are in your development as a team. Of course, we know that a team truly works together; no one works on an island, and everyone works together for the betterment of the whole. A team is marked by selflessness and answering the call if someone needs help.
I could not help but reflect on the team that makes the BodyShop Business engine go: editorial, sales, design, production, ad services. Without one of those pieces, the whole thing blows up. Also, if any one of those departments works independently of the others, the engine breaks down.
Is your staff truly a team? Do they truly work together and have each other’s backs? Have you ever heard, “That’s not my job”? That might be an indicator that your “team” is not where it needs to be yet.
The next time you think about improving your business and taking it to the next level, assess whether you’ve truly built a team. If not, that is one major component to work on. Once you’re there, the engine will run a lot more smoothly.