Lessons learnt at 140mph
I’ve recently worked with an amazing project team; a diverse group of client, contractors and external suppliers. Working on a challenging programme with demanding deadlines, we somehow hit it off, and delivered something truly exceptional. The experience prompted me to think about how we can enable high performance and positive team chemistry.
I started to think about where we typically see high performance and exceptional teamwork… and this led me to take a look at motor sport.
Geraint Roberts is a seasoned Isle of Man TT Sidecar racing driver, a persuit that frequently sees him reaching speeds of 150mph and over. More recently he’s restored a racing sidecar with his partner Dagmar Lensing. They were up for sharing their knowledge about high performance racing. I went to their garage to find out more.
Following the formula for success
In Formula racing, ‘formula’ means the method or rules. There is an accepted set of guidelines which everyone follows and trusts. This blueprint provides the directions, procedures, regulations and techniques for all racing teams.
And on my visit to the Roberts Racing garage I can see that formula philosophy straight away. The first thing that strikes you is that the garage is a carefully managed space with labelled components and parts. Geraint knows where everything is and follows meticulous methods. When pushing the limits in racing, absolute accuracy in engineering is vital. And aside from engineering, just as much attention to detail and formula thinking goes into planning the racing activity.
The ‘formula’ is the trusted method; the foundation for enabling the magic of the team.
This got me thinking about how we can best use proven transformation methods and processes in the formula way. We need to be able to confidently pull on tools and approaches without being stifled by bureaucracy. We need strong but enabling guiderails to manage process, complexity and risk. Extrapolating the analogy, if we can set down the right change formula, this is a critical enabler, empowering everyone to focus on the change (rather than the methods).
Connecting the team to each other and the ambition
Geraint and Dagmar really understand the importance of the team in racing. Racing success requires the contribution of a wide range of different team members. Different levels of input are required at different times and collaboration is at heart of a strong racing team, where everyone is crystal clear about what their collective goals are and the individual parts they play.
This thinking is not new to the transformation and change space. However, what is striking when talking to the sidecar team is their shared laser focus and team connections. They and their support team have a clear view of the what they want to achieve and how they are going to do it. The team understand that they are accountable not only for their individual work but are part of a group that are collectively accountable, stepping in to help each other out when needed. These ways of working go a step beyond the norm, building out from individual responsibility and establishing a natural back-up system for each other. The result is an extremely resilient collaborating model where the team is jointly and severally accountable.
In setting up programmes, it’s vital to investing time structuring how project teams will connect. Being clear about their roles and how all the transformation activities come together to deliver the ambition. I’ve sometimes drawn this out as a big picture, working with the teams to ensure complementary scope and identify any gaps. Having a clear, shared view of the end state, and the path to get there, can really help to connect everyone, encouraging collaboration, enabling responsiveness and safeguarding aims.
But it’s about more than clear accountabilities and collaboration…
Geraint and Dagmar talked about how they work together in preparation for and during a race. A racing sidecar requires the two-person team to work together in complete concert. Indeed, getting this right can be a matter of life and death. There needs to be strong bonds of trust driving synchronized movement, tight communication and agile responsiveness. But it’s much more than this; they need a deep and understanding of the whole system of rules, machines and relationships. And it comes across as more than trust…they describe it as a feeling. It’s not surprising to see that many couples and siblings work best together at this team sport. They are completely tuned into each other.
Establishing these dynamics on a programme can be a tough challenge. We are typically working to demanding timelines. Programmes will bring diverse teams and individuals together and mobilise fast. People are likely to have not worked together before and will be feeling their way into the activity and their roles. I’ve found that time spent up front to build the team ways of working is always time well spent. With a little bit of art and science we can enable teams to build human connections. For Geraint and Dagmar these connections are tacit and unique, building on the formula to deliver world-class performance. For us, it’s maybe worth considering a little more investment on how we bring together our team talents to create the formula racing magic.
So, after discussing formula, teamwork and those magic human connections I went for a sidecar experience.
Experiencing the formula racing sidecar
To fully understand the outcomes of all this formula working, Geraint took me for a spin in his racing sidecar. Sat on a platform just above the road surface was a bit scary but experiencing acceleration to 140mph dancing between stone walls was wholly exhilarating, if not completely terrifying.
I’ve learned a lot from Geraint and Dagmar about how they deliver high performance in sidecar racing, weaving together rigorous disciplines and intuitive collaboration. How enabling processes, collaboration, trust and relationships can drive unrivalled performance.
Talking to them has thrown out some challenges to how we might bring some of the formula racing disciplines into transformation. I’m off to the garage for some guidance and inspiration.
