The Unit is an action drama that follows a covert team of Special Forces operatives as they risk their lives on undercover missions around the globe. Episode three tells the story of a new team member, Bob Brown, who makes his first big mistake during a live-fire exercise which results in the team lead, Mack, being injured by an errant bullet (watch clip).

 

There are some excellent takeaways from the team dynamics in this episode. As soon as the team realized a mistake was made, they immediately held an After-Action Review (AAR) while the situational awareness was fresh. During the AAR, Mack used the “Why Tree”, continually asking Why, Why, Why, in order to discover the root cause.

 

Team members rallied around Brown, relating their own first big mistakes while they help him train and regain his confidence.

 

In the end, it is discovered that more than one mistake was made. Mack, the team leader, was out of position, placing himself in the trajectory of the fired round. Rookies and veterans alike make mistakes. We often stop looking when we discover what appears to be the obvious cause for an error, neglecting to examine contributory factors. When we are the ones harmed by the missteps of others, we may become blind to our own faults. Misdirected blame (inward or outward) wastes time and energy. We should instead focus on causes rather than culprits and processes not people. It takes discipline to be a great team, to professionally deal with setbacks and challenges, and continually improve. As Mack puts it in one of the last lines of the episode: “That’s what we do at this level.”

 

We expect everyone on our team to be high performers, discover their extra, and return with dividends. There is nothing better than working with true colleagues: individuals you know aspire to the same levels of expertise and growth that you do; individuals that work hard, are competent and consistently deliver results; individuals that challenge you to be your best; and individuals that challenge the status quo (or defend it when necessary).

 

We are a team in the truest sense of the word, not an amorphous “working group” that we call a team because we think that the label is motivating and energizing. We work together, share accountability, succeed, and fail together. What we do individually and collectively greatly influences outcomes now and well into the future. The extra performance a real team can deliver is critical during this transformative period of our company.

 

To become a great team requires discipline:

People: When you have disciplined people, you don’t need rigid hierarchy.

Thought: When you have disciplined thought, you don’t need bureaucracy.

Action: When you have disciplined action, you don’t need excessive controls.

 

“When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great performance.” (Jim Collins, Good to Great).

 

Elements of team discipline required for high achievement:

• A sense of urgency

• Clear standards of behavior

• Constructive conflict

• Constructive feedback

• Being open, candid, and frank (but not mean)

• Active listening (listening to understand, not to respond)

• A commitment to a common approach on how to accomplish work

• Transcending traditional organizational boundaries

• Recognizing the achievements and interests of others.

 

No group ever becomes a team until it holds itself accountable as a team. There is a crucial difference between “the boss holds me accountable” and “we hold ourselves accountable.” At its core, team accountability is about the sincere promises we make to ourselves and others, promises that underpin two critical aspects of effective teams: commitment and trust.

 

Let us commit to focus on continual improvement, operational excellence, candid discussion, and disciplined execution. That is what we do at this level.

 

Are there areas where we need focused improvement? Are there tactics we need to better execute? Are there processes that need to be improved? Let’s address them so we deliver at our highest potential. It is not just expected; that IS what we do at this level.

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Adam Waldron, Director of Information Services

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