Cultivating an Exceptional Team

When you look at some of the biggest successes throughout history, digging a little deeper exposes that the results and impact achieved were often a direct result of not just an individual’s blood sweat and tears inside and outside of the arena, but being part of an exceptional team.

Are you currently leading a team in trying to deliver a project, win a championship, or do something that hasn’t been done before? Have you recently joined a new team and want to add value and make an impact? Are you part of a team that is growing rapidly? Are you on a team that is struggling to find its stride?

I have been part of some sort of team since I was four years old, ranging from teams in sports, startups, and media, to teams that are brand new, to teams that were already super strong that I joined later. I have won three national hockey championships, played with and against Olympians, been an early employee at several startups, gone through business incubator and accelerator programs (Techstars Boston 2016 Cohort, District 3 Innovation Center), worked as a freelance journalist, developed TV shows for broadcasters like Discovery Channel, worked with Bauer Hockey to develop hockey sticks, and worked in tech as both a hardware and software product manager bringing new technologies to life in brand new markets.

I have also experienced debilitating injuries and health issues, been cut from teams, been a minority in the room, been benched, developed products that didn’t get widely adopted, been part of startups that failed, written stories that were never read, and lost loved ones under difficult circumstances. I am gay. I am a partner, a step mom, a daughter, a sister, and a friend.

I have experienced a few successes, and many, many, many failures.

In my experience, the key differentiating factors that determine whether something truly great will result from effort put in are grit, adaptability, and the overall strength of a team.

The following is my take on the key factors that contribute to cultivating an exceptional team — be it in sports, business, or family. (Note: this is based on my experiences and perspective only and does not reflect the views or opinions of any other individuals or organizations).

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