The Olympics started this week and there have been some great examples of individual achievement so far. There have also been some other examples where teams came together to make a difference. These were not the traditional teams in sports like hockey. These teams started out as individuals competing for their country, but they made the intentional decision to form a team that would support each other’s success. There are three different examples where harnessing the power as a group led them to to a place on the podium.
In figure skating there is a team competition that starts off the Olympics. The best individual competitors skate to contribute points that make up a team score for their country. Some people in the past have seen this as more of an exhibition and not much of a competition. The US and Canadian teams viewed it differently this year. Some of them had never been to the Olympics before and for others, it may be their last time. They didn’t take for granted that they had made it there and wanted to make the most of the opportunity as a group. They cheered each other on and supported those who didn’t have their best performance. Everyone brought their best to their performance which helped the Canadian team win the Gold and the US win the Bronze. As a group of people who are used to competing by themselves, it provided a whole different experience to be on a team that wanted the best for each other.
In another sport, a team was created, but not for a competition like there is in skating. In 1992, the Norwegian Alpine skiing team created a group to support each other’s success. They called themselves the “Attacking Vikings” and helped each other win the first medals in Alpine skiing in over 40 years. They created a team out of a sport like Alpine skiing that is not traditionally viewed as a team sport. Tapping into their roots with a Vikings mindset, they conquer race courses with power drawn from the group. They train together and push each other to make everyone on the team better. They know that they have to bring it during training and when they compete to live up to the team’s expectations. It is a formula that has helped them win 28 Olympic medals over the years since 1992. This type of culture is what drives them every day and is expected to help them add more medals during this year’s Olympic games. Here is the short video on them if you would like to see it: The Attacking Vikings
It requires a different way of thinking to let go of the ego and put the team’s success ahead of your own. Knowing that you are a part of a team really does make a difference in your mindset. You know that you have a bunch of people in your corner pushing you and pulling for you to do your very best. Think about how you could be a part of team that sees the bigger picture of success for everyone and not just for the individuals. The possibilities of success and what could be accomplished are limitless.