Collective Failure.
Being an avid Cricket (sport) fan, I have been following the Indian team taking on Australia down under. Unfortunately, India has been mutilated in the last 3 test matches against Australia. And it has been a collective failure of batting, bowling and fielding.
What exactly is collective failure?
In any organization, we work as part of a team, whether it be for marketing, sales, production, IT, HR, etc.
We have objectives, monthly / quarterly goals, personal goals and achievements that we have to meet. We have to deliver individually as well as a team.
At Spanish Translation US our business model is based on a team comprised of an Account Manager, who essentially works to serve our clientele, and a Project Manager, who is the production interface working with our suppliers whether it be in-house resources or freelancers. They have to work in tandem and in the best interest of the client. A lot of times we work under a lot of stress and tight deadlines.
Collective failure occurs when critical deadlines are not met, projects are not completed within the desired budget or there is no collaboration between the account manager, the project manager and all the members of the team to get the desired outcome. This is where the blame game starts, but it is everyone’s loss.
An Account Manager should understand the challenges a Project Manager faces. So should the Project Manager appreciate the Account Manager’s “yes we can” attitude.
Financial success should not be the only objective; you have to take pride in your work and deliver the best product/service you can.
Even if you are selling a slice of pizza at the local mall, sell it with pride and conviction. Believe in yourself and your team.
Always remember, there is no “I” in team and our culture based on shared values should guide every decision we make, every interaction among our team members, every product or service we provide, every channel we operate, every customer interaction.