Nothing reflects the spirit of competition more than the Olympic trials. It’s all about making the team. The best athletes are focusing on the gold once they reach the Olympics, but many more are simply thrilled to make the team and be part of the event. Only at the Olympic trials will you see athletes who finish second and third hug the winner and be satisfied with the fact they made the team. It’s all about performing at their personal best and contributing to the team’s success.
When I competed as a speed skater a good friend and fierce competitor, Bill Flannigan, was injured during a qualifying race. He had no choice but to visit the emergency room for stitches. The doctor told him he could continue to compete but we weren’t sure he would be back in time for the final race. Five minutes before the start time he was still in transit, and we knew he would be a few minutes late. Race officials told us they would not delay the start time and we had to begin the race without him. All seven competitors who qualified for the final race agreed we would not begin without Bill. The race was delayed 15 minutes until he arrived.
In all honesty I don’t remember who won the race and it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that the race didn’t start on time because we wanted to support our friend. He deserved the opportunity to compete and be successful.
What I’ve witnessed in sports and business is that the people who are truly committed to excellence enjoy helping others perform at their best. Yes, at the end of the day my goal is to be No. 1, but I also want to be part of an organization that can sustain success over an extended period of time.
Each year several news organizations recognize who they believe are the best employers in the nation. Wegmans supermarket has finished No. 1 more than once. They have been in the top five for more than a decade. What attributes do these top employers share that enable them to continually be ranked ahead of their competitors?
Organizations committed to excellence hire people who are also committed to helping co-workers excel. Hiring one or two superstars is not the magic ingredient that is going to produce long-term success. We’ve all heard the cliché, “We’re only as strong as our weakest link.” That means we each have a vested interest in helping everyone improve.
Think about several examples when you helped co-workers become more successful. Employers are looking for people who are going to help the entire team be more productive. You may be a superstar, but if you aren’t capable or willing to make your teammates better, than you won’t be at the top of my candidate list.
Describe some examples of when co-workers reached out and helped you? How many times have you helped a struggling co-worker? I can’t tell you how many cover letters make the claim, “I’m a team player,” and yet during the job interview they can’t describe even one example of how they have helped a co-worker improve. And please don’t tell me it’s the supervisor’s responsibility to train employees. I want to hire people who are part of the solution and not pointing fingers.
When preparing for a job interview, your first thought is to present yourself and your skills as the greatest thing since sliced bread. “You should hire me because I can help your organization succeed.”
Olympic teams have outstanding chemistry and so do great employers. Top-notch athletes can win individual events, but team events are won when everyone is committed to helping all team members succeed. Think about what you have done and will you do going forward to help people within the organization succeed? Do this in your next job interview you may very well rise to the top of the list and get hired. Ironically, your ability to help fellow employees perform at increasingly higher levels is the most important contribution you can make.
Bill Kaminski is president of Stone Associates Training. He is an HR consultant with 35 years of experience in the employment field, teaching managers the art of hiring great employees. Bill is also an adjunct instructor at Keuka College. You can contact Bill with questions, suggestions or comments at www.bill@stone associatestraining.com.
