Teamwork and Determination are Critical to Work Management Success

In August or September of 480 B.C., the famous Battle of Thermopylae between the Greeks and the overwhelmingly superior forces of the Persian Empire clashed at the narrow pass of Thermopylae.  300 Spartans, led by Leonidas, along with 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans, and possibly a few hundred others held off Xerxes and his Persian army (which ancient sources numbered in the millions), for three days.

Spartan culture focused on military training and excellence, which made them a formidable force.  Working together in what the Greeks described as a phalanx, a tight-knit body of warriors with spears, swords, etc., enabled a small fighting force like Leonidas' Spartans to fight as one.  Both ancient and modern writers have used the Battle of Thermopylae as an example of how training, teamwork, and the right tools can make the difference in a battle against overwhelming odds.

Many of the same traits that allowed the Spartans to work together as a formidable fighting force are consistent with the work management best practices used by project teams:

1. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined: Successful cooperation depends on clearly defining what you are trying to accomplish.  It's easy to make assignments and hold each other accountable for whether or not specific tasks are completed, but cooperation can only happen if everyone understands the vision of what they are doing "together."
2. There is a determination to finish what is started: Objectives might not always be easy.  If all you ever hear is, "yes, but," you're team is defeated before they've even begun.  This can make the team adversarial—the opposite of cooperative.  Take time to find out why there is push-back and work together to find a solution.  Cooperation implies working together to overcome obstacles.  Saying, "Just make it happen," doesn't just make it happen.
3. Everyone is accountable to their role and responsibilities: Make expectations clear in the beginning, and regularly evaluate progress against expectations.  The Spartans counted on everyone in the phalanx doing his part.  The team members of successful project teams do the same thing.

Fortunately for us, creating an atmosphere of collaboration and cooperation doesn't have the same life or death consequences it did for ancient Greek warriors.  However, just as the Spartans leveraged their training and expertise with the phalanx, the right project management tools can help project managers and teams successfully overcome the challenges of project based-work.  

What are some of the methods you use to encourage teamwork and collaboration to ensure project success?