English Cricket Team – Team Values

Great interview on Test Match Special at the moment with Matt Prior, England cricket team’s wicket keeper, talking about what it’s like to be on tour, revealing some elements of the team values making England a great team at the moment:

• having a few rules, “nothing that you wouldn’t want to have anyway”
• awareness of how different individuals need to recharge their batteries – some reading on their own and some by socialising
• that there are different roles, for example who in the squad or support team acts in the role of confidant
• really valuing the role of the support team generally
• being a tight unit through understanding each others personalities

All things which would directly translate to great team values and a high performing team in any environment – and which happen when a team takes and invests time to be a team. You wouldn’t expect a premiership football to turn up for their first fixture on the first day of a season and expect to perform at their best with no practice – yet that’s what some corporate teams try and do.

What percentage of your team’s time is spent discussing results and what percentage is spent reviewing and planning how you will perform?