Team working – its Rocket Science!
We’ve all heard of the term ‘rocket science’ which leads us to believe that something is extremely complicated. However when you break down the ideas behind it, it’s really pretty simple. What is perhaps even more interesting for us as leaders is the parallels we can draw from Rocket Science in order to achieve high performing teams.
Firing rockets into space is all about overcoming the force of gravity. Imagine for one moment that in this instance your rocket is the team and gravity is the apathy/morale/culture/resistance that we as leaders face into when trying to implement change.
In order to get the rocket (team) into the air, we need to overcome gravity (resistance to change) like everything on Earth, a rocket will remain motionless until a force acts on it to get it moving. The rocket’s engine size supplies this in the form of thrust (effective team working)
Usually when a rocket takes off we see an explosion as the rocket blasts off, but actually it’s not the explosion that makes the spacecraft leave Earth. Most rocket engines work in this way – An oxidiser (clear short term goals /achievements/successes) and a fuel (inclusion/engagement/ recognition/acknowledgement) are mixed within a combustion chamber at high pressure (the workplace) Hot gas (an engaged team) produced by the chemical reaction then escapes through the bottom of the rocket, creating a thrust to burst into the sky (team momentum)
Further reading / Watching
· Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Partrick Lencioni
· Ted Talks – How to Start a Movement by Derek Sivers https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement
