The Beach Ball

Ah, spending time at the beach in the summer. Here, in North Carolina, the sea breeze is about the only way to feel at all cool and be outdoors. Swimming in the ocean does not hurt either. 

Each year at the beach seems to bring new games and activities. I note that lots of people are bumping volleyballs this year. However, I miss the good old beach ball. I love the ball with various colored wedges that can remain in the air for a good long time with a simple tap (unlike those pesky volleyballs).

Plus, I need the next generation of leaders to know what a beach ball is as I use it as a metaphor for teamwork.

I ask leadership team members to think of the company as a beach ball. Each of them is standing on a colored slice. The marketing director resides on the orange slice while the finance person is on a green slice. As they are standing on a particular slice, they tend to see the world through that color’s lens. The finance director looks at every decision through a financial perspective while the marketer thinks of how this decision might affect the brand. 

This understandable bias can easily lead to silos where team members' major concerns are their color or department. As a result, compromise and the sharing of limited resources is contentious. 

When working with teams, I challenge the members to try to see the entire beach ball. A good leader sees the entire organization, not just her part of it. When it is clear that the organization is bigger than any department, compromise comes more easily. Leaders tend to do what is good for the whole and not just their department. 

Bring back the beach ball!