The single objective

Consider a team of hockey players, subdivided into the offensive team and the defensive team.

What’s the objective of the offense of a hockey team? You’d probably say: to score goals.

And what’s the objective of the defense of a hockey team? Maybe, you’d say: to limit the number of goals conceded. 

But if I asked you what’s the objective of the entire team, what would you say?

To win the game. Right?

That’s strange. You get three different objectives for the exact same team of players. That seems like a recipe for conflict in the team. Sub-teams will be pulling in different directions given the conflict in objectives. That much is obvious.

Now what were to happen if the entire team’s sole objective was to win the game? Well, maybe you would get defenders taking more shots if the team were behind. And forwards would do more defending, if the team were ahead. You would have a team in unison, aligned and ready to fight for the sole objective.

As a leader, you must ensure that your team has only one objective.

Not two. Not three.

One.

And you must keep the team on task to achieve the single objective. No detours. Even if it means rearranging the team to have defenders on offense or forwards on defense.

You only have one objective. To help the team win. 

Will you do the leader’s work of aligning the objectives?