The Power of The Rally

Leverage the power of rallying your teams.

The Power of The Rally

In most cases I choose not to watch sporting events – live or on TV - because I can’t sit still that long and because I get so emotionally caught up in the game that I distract everyone else and frustrate myself.

But if you ever catch me staring at the TV as a team is getting ready for a game to begin, you’ll see me in a state of fascination watching the team huddle together, chanting, swaying, jumping and otherwise rallying themselves into an almost hypnotic frenzy about, well, themselves.

The energy from that tribal rally is contagious. I feel a connection, and a sense of pride for the team I’m watching. I’m drawn in to their unified war cry and as a student of leadership I’m curious about what has bonded them together.

No doubt the team has experienced all sorts of things prior to the game – collectively and individually. They’ve had challenges, sick kids, interpersonal struggles, marital woes, aging parents, crazy family members, injuries or illnesses, and who knows what else. Despite all of their differences, challenges and distractions, on a regular basis the team forms a circle, gets close enough that there are no gaps between them, they look each other in the eye, lock arms and start to sway and chant until they and those around them sense that they are one unit, with the same cause, the same focus and the same grit.

Their opponents and all in the stadium know they are present and ready to play.

Leaders can learn something powerful about pulling a diverse group of individuals together to do something significant: The Power of The Rally.

Set aside your differences and get after whatever it is you came to market to do.

The saying “culture eats strategy for breakfast” is true. Culture, in its simplest form, is what behaviors and practices are allowed and encouraged. Culture is never about intention; it’s about behavior. Every team has a culture. And guess what? The best perspectives on culture are rarely the people leading; the best perspectives are from those being led.

Do you have a rallying culture? If not, what’s holding your team/company from putting differences aside and coming together for a common mission?

Let’s talk about one of the most common roadblocks to a rallying culture: egomaniacs.

Egomaniacs are those individuals who may be technical geniuses but they exert their skills, abilities and bad behavior as a theoretical weapon, to maintain their own benefit and personal agenda.

The uncomfortable truth is that egomaniacs are limited, situational abusive performers that are a danger to the vision, mission and values of any healthy organization.

Egomaniacs either need to be benched or addressed. It is possible to leverage the energy or expertise they can bring to help your organization win, but toxic behavior should never be an option. Fail to address employees who are a legend in their own mind but destroy the team culture (and ultimately your company) and your success will be limited.

What do your teams expect when it comes to The Rally?

Is it non-existent and you go from performance review to performance review sounding like Charlie Brown’s teacher?

Is it inconsistent and you only spend time celebrating/rallying when leadership decides to make time for it?

Is it selective and you only do it with the people in your organization that you like or who consistently perform well?

You are probably missing out on a platinum opportunity to get to the heart of your (hidden) MVP’s. Get your team/organization together and design a rally that reminds them, and everyone they come in contact with that you came to play the game and you came to win!

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