Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Punxsutawney Phil and Teamwork
Originally posted 2/4/08—and it still applies…
Believe it or not, I spent last weekend in Punxsutawney, PA celebrating Ground Hog Day along with 20,000 otherwise normal people! Why? That’s an absolutely brilliant question, and one for which I have absolutely no brilliant explanation other than I thought it would be fun --- once.
The idea began as a lark – an invitation from good friends for a once-in-a-lifetime Adventure – and ended up showing me what can be accomplished when leadership pulls together around one common goal creating a unique moment in time.
Activity at Gobblers Knob officially began at 3am and continued until 7:30am when Punxsutawney Phil made his prediction of another six weeks of winter. The majority of the crowd arrived by bus and was entertained with great music, dancing, contests, stories, periodic time checks, three marriage proposals, and a fireworks show.
The event was playing off the strengths of 23 gentlemen, known as ‘The Inner Circle’ (http://www.groundhog.org/index.php?id=39), which made the experience exceptional. Imagine a team of 23 interacting and directing a crowd of 20,000. Here are my observations of Punxsutawney Phil’s Inner Circle team.
High-functioning Team Characteristics
1. Members took time and focused on each individual guest request.
2. Members were highly visible during the entire day – not just for Phil’s prediction.
3. Members were flexible – job sharing and rotation was common and expected. (Phil’s “handler” also did commentary at the Ground Hog Zoo and was a photographer.)
4. Members spoke to each other directly with respect and humor – avoiding sarcasm and put downs.
5. Members had the same agenda – all communication was consistent; each supported efforts of other team members.
Your team may not be responsible for putting on a big event for 20,000 customers, but your team does need to perform. It takes the concentrated effort of every team member to consciously build better working relationships.
My question: Who is in your Inner Circle that gives you diversity in strengths, style, and thinking?
You would do well to study the behavior of Phil’s elite team.
Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie
