I shoot. There are several reasons for this. One is that I am competitive, but my joints don’t allow me to do anything with impact. Another is that I grew up riding horses and shooting at shotgun shells as they swung on tall reeds. That was just once a year in Mississippi, where my family spent many Christmases, but it left its imprint. The most notable reason I shoot is that my brother wanted me to. A career law enforcement officer, Chris died young at 48. But before he did, he sold me his service weapon that he had purchased from the County when they upgraded. He wouldn’t get to teach me to use it the way we had planned, but his friend stepped in and took care of that part. The arms instructor for their county, he made sure I was good.

Shooting ranges are interesting places. They are diverse, based on just about any demographic you can think of. And they are surprisingly safe. That’s because people called Range Officers watch every move you make. Step out of line and you get yelled at. Really step out of line and you can get evicted. Permanently. Ranges are collegial places with a powerful sense of teamwork; everyone is there for one overarching reason (to shoot) but the sub reasons are varied (sport, protection). As people get in their lanes, ear and eye protection on, the collegiality melts away and they become a bunch of individuals overseen by the ever-watchful Range Officers. I notice that I am motivated just as much by not wanting to get yelled at as I am my natural inclination to shoot well. That seems to reduce my ability.

But there was one thing I hadn’t been able to do: shoot at an outdoor range. My nephew, Rick, recently offered to help with that, so I scheduled a trip to visit and made the beautiful drive from the DC area to Roanoke, Virginia. Rick is my brother’s son and knows his way around guns, and to say I was pleased to do this with him is an understatement.

Pulling up at the range, it was clear that everything was different. Everything. For starters, I saw kids, obediently standing next to their parents. “Who’s in charge?” I asked Rick. “Everyone,” he said, as he got out. I was out of my element and not feeling very confident, so I stuck close to him. The range looked similar to an indoor range, with lots of lanes. There were all different types of targets, some store bought and some homemade with straw. We picked a lane and started setting up. 

When we were ready, Rick shouted, “Good morning. Can we go cold?” I heard the click-clatter-click of magazines dropping and slides locking. Everyone verbalized agreement. Going “cold” means everyone puts down and secures their guns, allowing people to safely walk out onto the range and adjust targets. “Hot” means people are shooting, and you stay behind the firing line. There was banter and laughter as everyone adjusted, but what stood out to me was how everyone worked together. It was like clockwork, with no clockmaker. There was no range officer telling people what to think or what to do, breathing down necks to ensure that guns were properly secured while the range was cold. Instead, we did it because that’s what you are supposed to do, and everyone was taking care of everyone. Responsibility for the team rested on each of us, which included keeping an eye out for any errant behavior. Rick gave me pointers, since my accuracy was off in this new environment, and others were teaching and leading as well.

I got my opportunity to shoot outdoors, and it was quite fun. But what surprised me then and still does today was the level and nature of the teamwork I got to witness. We didn’t know each other, but how did we all come together and work so well, collaborating to deliver precision results with perfect safety? All in an environment where lives were truly at stake? An old colleague of mine used to say when things got tense at work, “Julie, we’re not saving lives.” But this day, someone could have easily taken one or two.  Instead, it was perfection in motion. There was not an infraction to be seen.

The range went hot and cold a few more times. And then, it was time to leave my special team. I was mesmerized and wanted to stay but couldn’t; however, this memory is etched in my mind. Driving home the next day, I pondered how we bottle that kind of teamwork: both an appreciation for its value and a process for capturing it. We were in a high-risk setting with no room for error, and each person had an intense desire to be good and develop his or her skills – with a sincere openness to feedback. Aren’t these key markers for business teams?

Tracey Middleton in Work Life (Atlassian, January 25, 2024) identified 10 scientifically derived benefits of teamwork. If you want to have a compelling discussion with your CEO about why you need to build it, remember these. Teamwork…

1. Enables better problem solving.
2. Unlocks potential for innovation.
3. Makes for happier employees.
4. Enhances personal growth.
5. Lowers the risk of burnout.
6. Gives opportunities for growth.
7. Boosts productivity.
8. Allows for smarter risk taking.
9. Yields fewer mistakes.
10. Sparks creativity.

Not too long after my trip I was reading some of I4cp’s research. I4cp is a provider of world-class HR research and executive insight. They reported in The Team Network Effect, How Precision Collaboration Unleashes Productivity (Executive Brief, undated), that “the average team could increase productivity by an astonishing 39% if they improved collaboration.” They cited the focus on individual performance as one of the things that hold teamwork back, even though people typically work in teams. “Most leaders are not trained on how to manage and optimize team effectiveness.” I thought of the Range Officers at indoor ranges, versus the free atmosphere at the outdoor range, where there was the expectation that everyone would and had to get it right every time.

On the range that day, I used the words precision and collaboration. But I4cp defined the two together. They defined precision collaboration as intentional behaviors that create high-quality connections that generate efficiencies and energy. These behaviors improve team effectiveness and ultimately the organization’s market performance.  Did you catch that? Efficiencies and energy. And market performance – the real prize.

My team that day was in sync. They all had the same goals (practice, have some fun, go home safely). They all knew what to do. They all knew the importance of getting it right. There was energy and enthusiasm while they worked.

The take-away here is to generate energy and quality results by equipping teams and getting out of the way. Let them do what they do. Oyster helps organizations build great teams. Whether you are in HR or at the C-level, those 10 benefits of teamwork above are compelling. Let’s talk innovation and productivity.