Financial Times

Team spirit for business and politics
A young visionary professional, with a flair for explaining complex philosophical thoughts and management principles in simple language to any audience was recently addressing a sales team. He was comparing the differences between a "group" and a "team" and for this purpose he used a day-to-day practical scene, of a crowd of commuters gathered at a bus halt, waiting impatiently for the buses on the selected route. Whilst waiting for the much-delayed bus they have a single common interest.

In pursuit of that interest they were of one voice in recognizing the parlous state of public transport, uncaring attitude of the bus companies and what action they must take together to protect their interests as commuters. When the much-delayed bus arrived, they forget their togetherness and comradeship of a few minutes before. It was one scramble towards the bus, resembling a rugby scrum, to get in and preferably get a seat before fellow passengers.

The crowd at the bus halt was only a "group", with individual interests, momentarily finding a common interest to work together. A "team", on the other hand, was described as a group bound by a common committed value system linking together and supporting each other to achieve both individual and collective goals. How right was this young professional when we take his analogy into politics and business.

In politics the aspirant candidates before elections have common party interests and are together in public platforms. Outside of these common interests what wouldn't they do to get a "manape", in preference to their own mates? It is the same with alliances before elections and after, especially if the alliance partner is consigned to the opposition.

In business the so-called collectives, the Chambers, are all for the advancement of the nation and the private sector, their members and public at large. They get together for this common cause and make submissions so poetically drafted to demonstrate the advancement the nation and the private sector. In private they advance only areas or submissions of personal or network interests.

Do the Chambers in this country fall into the same frame as the crowd of commuters at the bus halt? Do these leaders of the engine of growth even resemble a pack of vultures waiting for the moment they have a chance to beat the rest and take a pick of the best piece of meat forgetting the rest in the team and the members at large? We have seen leaders advancing their personal interests by going after and sucking up to power and wealth hungry politicians. Certainly if the past is any indication business sector collectives are nowhere close to a team, with common value bondage.

It is time that both politicians and business leaders learn lessons from the group dynamics of a team of ducks flying in formation. The inverted "V" shape formation is no accident or chance. The dynamics of this formation has been determined to be the most effective method of reducing the impact of friction and pressure from air and wind.

The change from time to time of the team taking the frontline positions in the formation and thus the maximum pressure, to allow some to rest and others to lead with the optimum effectiveness are all acts of a truly committed team.

The ones at the rear honking to encourage and motivate the team and the directional navigation leadership of the duck at the head of the formations are other signs of a truly committed team. If one of the ducks is injured or unable to meet the demands of the team in formation, it drops out of the formation along with a helper so as not to slow the team.

This is another incredible behaviour of this team (the helper stays with the injured until it recovers or dies before flying off together or alone as the case may be). The team Singapore under the able leadership of Lee Kuwan Yew has consistently demonstrated in the political, administrative and business arena what a "Team" with a vision, a shared value system and commitment can deliver to a nation and its people.

It is the fervent wish of the civil society, that those in charge of the nation in politics, governance and business will take a lesson from the flying ducks and become a team committed to take this nation, the private sector and the people to its true potential, rather than act like the group of commuters at a bus halt.

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