Over the past three weeks, I’ve racked up a lot of air miles crisscrossing North America to speak at events. The experience led me to think about the art of being a good teammate and how air travel, topography, and the view from 35,000 feet relate to team success.
When you are part of a team, you will inevitably experience peaks, plummets, and plateaus. Some successes will cause you to feel exhilarated. Some failures will cause you to be defeated. And in between those moments, you will encounter points where your progress levels out.
How you handle each of these situations says a lot about what sort of teammate you are and what sort of teammates you have on your team.
Peaks
Seeing the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains from 35,000 feet is awe-inspiring. These breathtaking aerial views can conjure feelings of exhilaration, similar to those that accompany success.
Good teammates handle peaks—moments of achievement—with grace. They know how to celebrate personal victories without allowing their responses to be obnoxious, boastful, or arrogant. They temper their emotions to keep the exhilaration from detracting from the pursuit of their teams’ goals.
Plummets
Turbulence is common when flying over the Rocky Mountains. “Mountain waves,” strong winds blowing perpendicular to the mountains, can create air pockets and cause sudden drops in altitude. Having your plane plummet during turbulence can be nerve-racking.
Good teammates handle plummets—unexpected setbacks and losses—with resiliency. They don’t panic, sulk, or get discouraged. They remain calm and focused. They learn from the incident and grow from it.
Plateaus
Adjacent to the Rocky Mountains are a series of plateaus and plains, flatlands with little change in elevation. Though beautiful in their own way, these landscapes usually fail to elicit the same excitement as the aforementioned topography.
Good teammates handle plateaus—comfortable moments, void of growth—with determination. They refuse to allow themselves to settle into the stagnation or become apathetic. They push themselves to expand the limits of their comfort zones.
Every seasoned traveler knows the best part of the journey is successfully reaching your destination. Team members bound by common goals know that successfully handling the peaks, plummets, and plateaus of their journey is the best way to ensure their teams reach their ultimate destinations.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
