Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody

A little story I read the other day about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

- Charles R. Swindoll

I love this story! 

I realize it must be a painful truth for many companies. And, if you feel like one of the characters in the story, my advice would be to get out of that team. Both you and the team deserve better. 

If you are a leader and recognize this is happening in your team...ufff. Don't blame them though, high-performing teams don’t magically come together. They are a result of an intentional team design process, brought together to tackle a clearly defined business challenge.

People tend to outperform leader's expectations when there is a shared sense of purpose to start with.There are many more elements to take into account if you are looking to build a high-performing team. From the right culture to fair compensation, but it starts with your ability to communicate a clear vision and a sense of shared purpose. As many others have discovered, team branding is a great tool for that.

If this blog feels like getting salt poured on an open wound, and you realize you need help building a great team, take a look at Angel Figueroa’s website on team design and schedule a call.