The Winter Olympics...Part 3: SAP Business Process Management – Go for Gold with Teamwork

[Former Member]

Many of the astounding feats from the Winter Olympics are borne of intense personal drive, determination and fortitude. They are individual sports from a participant perspective, yet there is considerable teamwork that has gone into the preparation and training.

Ice hockey has superstars, yet it is undeniably a team sport.  It is fast paced, filled with athleticism, skill and coordination. When the puck moves quickly and accurately from stick to stick to back of net, well that elevates the teamwork to something more akin to poetry.

Teamwork is at the heart of our everyday existence, at home or work. Our efforts to continuously improve our business processes are not achieved by one person trying to move the mountain. Perhaps it is the right-winger who starts the play out of the defensive zone and coordinates an offensive rush.  Seldom does that individual successfully make a scoring play 200 feet down the ice without some assistance.  Likewise, the defensive play relies on communication and understanding each other’s role before it ultimately falls to the goalie to make a stunning save.  Our project and work teams are the same.

The project manager cannot be busy changing configuration or setting up new business scenarios without communicating to the rest of the team and allowing others to carry out their own unique roles on the line.  To study the game of hockey is really to study the characteristics of a well-tuned team activity.  Disciplined hard work gets results not dissimilar to what we must do on a weekly/daily/hourly basis to deliver successful results for our organizations.  Oh, and there is sometimes bloodshed.  Just saying.  Enjoy the games and watch out for flying pucks.