Team Bonding Beyond Beers

The regular gag of lament among sales trainers is to often mock Sales Management’s widely held view that the best form of ‘team bonding’ is to take the reps out for a slap-up beano.

If you’re in a team where this logic prevails, then perhaps you can take a leaf out of the legend that is Arsene Wenger’s book.  Although his Arsenal are not my footie side, they’ve been the one outfit I’ve always tried to watch since he took over.  Everybody I know, including several useful players I’ve had the privilege to line up alongside, feels the same.  And the amazement is usually how he manages to get such brilliant performance out of significantly younger and cheaper resource than the other big clubs.

One reason is his focus on the team ethic.  Today’s press all carry reports of a single sheet of paper that summarised a recent team meeting.  It somehow fell into a random hack’s grubby paws.  It is fascinating.  Here’s the most detailed report.

There are two summary points, followed by the 14 bullets below.  The selling question is twofold; which of these when applied could benefit your team, and how can you apply them?

Our team becomes stronger by:

* Displaying a positive attitude on and off the pitch

* Everyone making the right decisions for the team

* Have an unshakeable belief that we can achieve our target

* Believe in the strength of the team

* Always want more – always give more

* Focus on our communication

* Be demanding with yourself

* Be fresh and well prepared to win

* Focus on being mentally stronger and always keep going until the end

* When we play away from home, believe in our identity and play the football we love to play at home

* Stick together

* Stay grounded and humble as a player and a person

* Show the desire to win in all that you do

* Enjoy and contribute to all that is special about being in a team – don’t take it for granted