Teams That Transform Time

At some point in your life, hopefully you’ve had the chance to be on a great team, whether it was your first Little League championship, or some kind of amazing startup, or a super supportive volunteer or church community. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to discern what sets that these great teams apart. What really drives teams from good to truly phenomenal?

While talent is crucial, the most successful teams cultivate key mindsets and creativity-enhancing practices that enable them to consistently excel at an accelerated pace. Drawing on insights from many exceptional coaches and leadership thinkers - here are five ways top-tier teams harness imagination to excel:

1). Visualize Possibilities Beyond Reality
Legendary coaches train players to remember future possibilities by directing their imagination. As creativity guru Todd Henry notes, “our imagination leads us toward our future.” Clearly and repeatedly envisioning next-level performances makes them more achievable. Mental contrasting between reality and imagined futures further optimizes behavior and drives our day-to-day effort to bring faster results.

Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull echoed this, writing “you’ve got to think outside the present.” Looking beyond “what is” to “what could be” stretches teams past perceived limitations. Painting vivid visions of success ignites teams’ potential.

2). Cultivate an Insatiable Growth Mindset
Sustained excellence requires perpetual learning and self-improvement. As Marcus Aurelius said, “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” After achieving success, creative teams remain hungry to grow versus becoming complacent. Setbacks prepare teams to eventually prosper. This insatiable mindset breeds a culture where innovation is not only cultivated, but expected. Expecting to continuously grow and win affects every aspects of a team’s culture - from practice routines, to investments made, to what projects and goals are embraced.

3). Foster Constructive Collaboration
Truly creative teams know that diverse perspectives compound genius. Pat Riley's “Disease of Me” concept focused the Showtime Lakers on positive conflict and open exchange of ideas - not ego.

The Chicago Bulls required a different approach as coach Phil Jackson harnessed “collaborative improvisation” through group flow. Jackson described the importance of mental practice - “as much as we pump iron and we run to build our strength up, we need to build our mental strength up... so we can focus... so we can be in concert with one another.”

With trust, openness, practice and a tailored approach - teams can learn to combine viewpoints and accelerate the drive for creative advantage.

4). Turn Values into Differentiators
Dynasty leaders imprint values as identity differentiators. By upholding standards collectively, teams shape innovative identities beyond just skills. Author Jon Gordon wrote “The team that connects individuals to a greater purpose will deliver exceptional results.” Shared values and vision escalate teams from good to exceptional. Often, these values are condensed into memorable phrases such as the Greenbay Packer’s “Titletown, USA", "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Liverpool FC, or the humorous but clearly effective, “Try Not To Suck” from the 2016 Chicago Cubs.

5). Support Each Other Through Ups and Downs
Teams that have each other’s backs through failures and successes generate psychological safety to creatively take risks. Ed Catmull wrote “If you aren’t experiencing failure, then you are making a far worse mistake.” With compassion, dry spells prepare teams for prosperity. Mutual trust enables fearless imagination. As Marcus Aurelius, famously observed - the obstacle becomes the way: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Bringing It All Together
Truly exceptional teams are as rare as they are powerful. But by using them as a benchmark, each of us can help raise the bar across all of our various organizations and communities and increase the rate of success. Coupling talent with shared purpose, a growth mindset, and constructive collaboration can help escalate your team from everyday good to truly phenomenal, accelerating progress in remarkable ways. Learning to blend these ingredients unlocks creativity for sustained excellence, and will help you and your team to launch one incredible success after another!