It is my humble opinion that the all-time greatest action film and the manliest man movie EVER – without a doubt – is the classic 1987 Sci-Fi/Action/Horror flick, “Predator.” This was the first R-Rated movie I was allowed to see (although I am not sure if my Mom was aware or gave approval to my Dad) and like supermodel Cindy Crawford, it just seems to get better with age. Starring the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger, the synopsis of this bad-ass film via IMDb states, “A team of special force ops, led by a tough but fair soldier, Major “Dutch” Schaefer, are ordered in to assist CIA man, George Dillon, on a rescue mission for potential survivors of a Helicopter downed over a remote South American jungle. Not long after they land, Dutch and his team discover that they have been sent in under false pretenses. This deception turns out to be the least of their worries though, when they find themselves being methodically hunted by something not of this world.”
There are several elements of Predator that make it so amazing, but if forced to choose just one, I think it would be the diverse cast that comprised Arnold’s ‘team of special force ops.’ From Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura as Blain, to Bill Duke’s ‘Mac’ and Sonny Lanham’s ‘Billy’, the team was like a well-oiled machine. None of the six team members were alike, each bringing something different and unique to the table with his skill set. More than 25 years and countless viewings later, my perspective of this aspect in Predator has changed from “those guys are all so cool” to what the main purpose of this blog is (in addition to touting the flick).
Whether it is in sports, a class project, or related to staff at work, choosing the members that make up your “team” is a critical element to success. It doesn’t matter if the goal is to win a game and ultimately a championship, get an ‘A’ on a group project or launch a successful company re-brand, each member of the team should have a clear understanding of his or her role and overall objective. One ‘bad egg’ can derail the group and jeopardize the goal. Countless sports teams have had seasons ruined by a ‘cancer in the clubhouse.’ I recently obtained a Master of Science degree in Journalism and had a few group projects where one or two members simply didn’t carry his or her weight. Who hasn’t had to deal with a coworker that at the end of the day did the bare minimum forcing others to pick up the slack?
These real world problems may not be as extreme as what happened in Predator, where Carl Weathers character serves as the aforementioned ‘bad egg,’ essentially setting up Arnold’s team through false purposes culminating in unpleasant consequences. However, the results are the same. Missions fail. Resources are wasted. Time and effort is lost. People get blown to pieces by a friggin alien!!!! Ok, maybe not that one, but you get the point.
So how do we avoid being blown to pieces? What does it take to have a successful team at work? I recently came across this article, written by Lisa Mooney from Demand Media, where she lists the top 10 qualities necessary to have a ‘high-performing’ group of employees. The following is that list and how each relates to both the ‘real’ and ‘Predator’ worlds.
Organizational Skills
Mooney states that, “a team in chaos with no idea where to start on particular projects is doomed to failure.” Although each individual should be held responsible for his or her personal organization, team or department leaders, like Arnold in Predator, can eliminate ‘chaos’ through ‘kickoffs’ and reoccurring meetings that keep all projects organized.
Conversation
In addition to improving organization, meetings can help drive conversation. “The willingness of all team members to communicate ideas and issues is important to the overall success of any project,” said Mooney. Now, you should never meet just to meet. A detailed agenda along with providing opportunities for team members to share opinions encourages communication. Arnold allowed those in his squad to give insight on individual expertise, sharing that with the group which is the way to go.
Accurate Perception
According to Mooney, a quality team must be able to accurately perceive what is happening. “The group needs to be able to identify issues, assess what is working and what is not and be truthful enough to state when mistakes are made,” she said. Things don’t always go as planned, whether it be launching a new website, a social media campaign or rescue mission in a South America jungle. Recognizing when something isn’t working and adjusting is an acquired skill. Altering to the curve balls or aliens set to hinder and ultimately destroy your mission is critical for each team member.
Conflict Resolution Abilities
The majority of us spend more time with those we work alongside than our own family, which often is 40 plus hours a week. When around others that often, sooner or later, conflict will arise. The ability to squash that conflict, resolve the issue and move on is a key element to successful teams. Similar to a virus that is left untreated, unresolved conflict can grow and spread – ultimately affecting others and the overall work environment.
Diverse Group
“Diversity in a work team makes it especially strong,” said Mooney. “A group with individuals who differ from one another brings more creativity and suggestions to the table than one composed of similar people.” Similar to the diverse cast in Predator – where you had characters of different races, body types and ultimately skill sets – teams at work should be built with a “Predator” approach. Teams that consist of members with differing ethnicities, ages, genders and expertise’s provide unique points of view and foster creativity.
Innovative Thinking
It can be argued that “innovation” is one of the most overused words in the past decade (I even wrote a previous blog on that topic). Many people and organizations have claimed to be “innovative” that the meaning behind it has been somewhat watered down. That shouldn’t take anything away from how important the aspiration to be innovative is. “Members should be adept at brainstorming ideas and willing to transform old beliefs and routine processes,” said Mooney. Had Arnold not rubbed mud all over his body, he never would have learned the alien in Predator saw movement through body heat. How many countless real word success stories or Steve Jobs movies are out there touting someone’s ‘innovation?’
Sense of Responsibility
Mooney used an example taken from Business Advantage International, which stated a business is successful when team members understand and live up to their responsibilities to the entire group. She went on to add that business managers should strive to hire employees who are interested in sharing work responsibilities with others. This consists of delegating and not being afraid to ask for help. In the marketing communications world, more than one individual can be responsible for social media, web management or public relations.
Strong Work Ethic
This is pretty cut and dry. You either have it, or you don’t. Mooney said, “a work team that persists through rough patches to get the job done is the type of group you want to work with. A strong work ethic demonstrated by each individual ensures projects are done well and on time.” That’s damn right. Are you the type who gives up and isn’t willing to give that little bit of extra to get the job done? Or are you Arnold friggin Schwarzenegger who isn’t going to quit or let some creature get away with whipping out his whole flippin team? We all can’t be Arnold’s, but the key is to aspire to be that way, to have that drive and determination.
Spirit of Appreciation
You know the saying, “there is no ‘I’ in team?” It’s a very important quality to a successful staff. Doesn’t matter if you are Michael Jordan, if you get an assist or help, a simple ‘nod’ and acknowledgement of appreciation goes a long way. Mooney agrees and encourages employees to express their thankfulness to their fellow team members on a consistent basis.” It all starts at the top, so this should be led by managers to ensure those working under them feel appreciated for his or her efforts.
Specific Roles
“Know your role.” Each member of a successful team has a clearly defined role and takes pride in getting that job done. For instance in Predator, Rick Hawkins, played by Shane Black, is the team’s radio operator and technical expert. Alone, he isn’t much and without him, the group has a glaring weakness. The key is to match certain tasks to the abilities and talents of particular people. All these parts coming together make up a well-oiled machine, whether it be a basketball team, marketing staff or special force operation group.