Supercharge your Teamwork

SUPERCHARGE Your leamwork THE AVENGERS When you unite a team of strong-willed, supercharged personalities against a clever enemy, sparks (literally!) are bound to fly. To steer all that explosive power in the right direction, they had to focus on the mutual goal of defeating Loki and his alien army. IRON MAN CAPTAIN NICK AMERICA FURY HULK STRATEGY: THOR COURAGEOUS CAPT, CRUSHING HULK: The Avengers prevailed by relying on each member's special talents. The brute strength of Thor and the Hulk, the sharp wit of Tony Stark, the unwavering leadership of Captain America, the stealth of Black Widow, and the flawless aim of Hawkeye all played a role in crushing the opposition. Build an innovative dynamic with the unique strengths of your crew! BLACK HAWKEYE WIDOW DEBRIEFING: Embrace each team member's strengths. HERE AND NOW: Despite clashing values, the Avengers focused on the situation at hand. Rather than getting caught up on your coworker's background, choose to respect what they bring to the table as a partner in Be aware of each team member's weaknesses. progress. Align towards a mutual, progressive goal. DON'T RELY ON A TRUMP CARD: Much of Capt's combat strategy relies on his shield, while Bruce Banner risks rampant rage if pushed too far. Seek to understand each team member's weaknesses so that you can balance each other out and avoid the pitfalls of giving an otherwise competent person a task they may struggle with. Don't forget to relax! Have some shawarma. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY The Guardians of the Galaxy began as a group of unruly misfits. Punches, kicks, knives, branches, bullets, death threats, and ancient artifacts were hurled between the PETER QUILL GUARDIANS lot of them. Money was their initial impetus in forming an effective (if volatile) truce, but a vengeful super villain known as Ronan the Accuser drove them to unite on a deeper level. DRAX ROCKET RACCOON DESTROYER STRATEGY: GAMORA GROOT WE ARE GROOT: United we stand, divided we fall. If compassion becomes a part of the company culture, it will be easier to shrug off failures and lift each other back up. DEBRIEFING: Compassion is key for a positive, adaptive work STAR-CROSSED WEIRDOS: Would the Guardians have escaped the prison without Rocket's nutty plan? What if Star Lord didn't bust out those slick dance moves? Embrace the eccentricity of your team. Weird ideas can ignite into the bounty of a lifetime. environment. THE GREATER GOOD: It can be tempting to to pursue work with only your gain in mind. The truth is, you can all go further if you align your goals with that of your team. Don't shun far-fetched ideas or offbeat personas. They can take your team above and beyond! Everybody has a past, so focus on the future you can construct as a team instead. Friendship can be found in the quirkiest places; be open-minded! MIGHTY DUCKS The District 5 Pewee Hockey Team had underdog beginnings: no practice facility, no equipment, and no ability. After a DWI, lawyer Gordon Bombay was sentenced to coach the team as community service. He promotes foul play in order to win, only to have the team oppose his underhanded tactics. They soon rise up and reinvent both themselves and Bombay. They become the Mighty Ducks. GORDON ВOMBAY FULTON REED CHARLIE CONWAY STRATEGY: TOMMY DUNCAN TAMMY DUNCAN V FORMATION: V is for victory! Just as ducks join together in formation, the Mighty Ducks are more mighty than the sum of their parts. Channel your inner duck and get in line with your team. DEBRIEFING: Fine tune your skills to work smarter, not harder. PLAY FAIR: Personal responsibility is metamorphic. When Bombay came clean, he achieved more success and gratification. Even losing is heroic when you stick to your morals. The wisdom you gain from loss can be more valuable than victory. THE MIGHTY UNDERDOG: No matter how humble your origins, stick to your guns. Get creative with resources. Finesse and willpower can trump the numbers. Humble beginnings are no excuse to not be the best you can be. You can go above and beyond as a flock. THE OFFICE The Office is an example of what happens when teamwork goes awry. Boss Michael Scott invades privacy, tosses about racial and sexist slurs, and makes outlandish attempts at conflict resolution. The employees' childish behavior is not much better. Between the laughter and disbelief, there are lessons to be learned. MICHAEL SCOTT the office DWIGHT SCHRUTE JIM HALPERT STRATEGY: PAM BEESLY-HALPERT RYAN HOWARD FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT: Employees will clash. If handled properly, conflict can be productive. By talking and reaching a compromise, it can smooth the way to a stronger business. DEBRIEFING: RESPECT PRIVACY: Scott confuses friendly with invasive. It's great to get to know your team, but respect their boundaries. Work is work; keep it clean and comfortable. Conflict can lead to positive change when handled maturely. Work life and private life are KEEP IT SIMPLE: The Office is notorious for its thorny team-building exercises. Don't make your team dread company bonding activities; keep it relevant and offer alternatives. separate. Don't force your team into company bonding acrobatics. EQUAL OFFICE: You'll be working with qualified people from all backgrounds. Don't muddy your team with prejudice and don't let anyone else do so, either. Diversity wins, bigotry loses. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES LEONARDO The Ninja Turtles are a radiant example of teamwork despite their dark dwellings in the sewers. They are mutant turtles with awesome TEENAGE MUT.NT NINJA ninja skills and a righteous vendetta against all things criminal. Along with their sensei, each brother is crucial spike in the ninja star of justice: wisdom, courage, ferocity, comic relief, and tact. TURITAES MICHELANGELO RAPHAEL STRATEGY: DONATELLO SPLINTER NOT BORN, CREATED: The Turtles were transformed into heroes by sludge. As humans, we can go through a similar (more hygienic) growth by training, working hard and joining forces. DEBRIEFING: NINJA SKILLS: Coordinate work flow based on the talents of each team member and discover how those abilities can mesh together for optimal success. Adopt a martial artist's mentality; success is earned, not instant. Teamwork plays on the balance of each member's COWABUNGA, DUDE!: Where is the growth in always playing it safe? Roll with a zany idea. Laugh and cut loose. Humans can progress further than a cog in the machine. talents. Take chances. The comfort DON'T JUDGE A SEWER BY ITS SMELL: Talent is everywhere; it can be behind any face, personality or species. Don't derail top-notch talent acquisition by factoring looks into the equation. zone is not your friend. Throw a pizza party! FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING The Fellowship of the Ring was a band of warriors that united against a colossal threat. Each member had FRODO BAGGINS ARAGORN unique qualities that led to the fierce, arduous triumph over evil; Frodo's duty-driven perseverance, Gandalf's wisdom, Legolas' keen senses, Aragon's courage, Sam's loyalty, Gimli's durability, Boromir's battle prowess, Pippin's enthusiasm, and Merry's cunning all played a vital role in turning the tides. GANDALF ORD RINGS THE GIMLI OF THE LEGOLAS SAMWISE MERIADOC BRANDYBUCK GAMGEE STRATEGY: PEREGRIN TOOK BOROMIR DEBRIEFING: THE PRECIOUS: It's crucial for your team to have a universal goal that awakens and challenges each member. Touch base often to rally morale and ensure that motives are aligned. A mutual objective is key for braving the storm. YOU HAVE MY BOW: A versatile team is a successful team; you'll need strong leaders to take the vanguard and tactical experts to drive the bottom line. Utilize the talents of your employees wisely. Diversity makes for a resourceful team. ELVEN-MADE: Elvish weapons and devices were invaluable to the Fellowship. Consider selecting tools and technology that integrate seamlessly with your team to augment their natural talents. It's smart to invest in tools that can unlock your team's potential. Refuse to get twisted by ONE EGO TO UNDO IT ALL: Power and greed became the Ring's ultimate undoing. No matter how mighty your team becomes, it is important to honor your roots. Keep ego in check, plan ahead, and be wise about risky endeavors. power! InLoox SOURCES: www.blogs.psychcentral.com | www.nerdfitness.com www.career-advice.monster.com | www.lotr.wikia.com www.en.wikipedia.org