Today I heard John Maxwell talking about team dynamics. To be a great team, its members must be dependable. So the question is, who is a countable/ dependable person? He proposes a simple 5C formula:
- Character
- Competence
- Commitment
- Consistency
- Cohesion
Character – a noble and respectable character is the foundation of all success; without this, all success are superficial and can be wiped off in one single incident where our integrity is questionable.
Competence – our confidence (in fair amount) comes from our competence. Character without competence is just… “nice” and nothing more.
To put this into perspective, John gave a very cutting example: would you rather be operated upon by a competent but somewhat nasty surgeon, OR a really kind but incompetent surgeon? This illustration really puts everything in the right perspective.
Commitment - do we need to elaborate more on this? A committed partner/member will never leave us, in good times and bad. This sort of commitment is becoming rare after years of ”Just Me” cultural conditioning. But in military and other highly disciplined teams, no one is allowed to be left behind. If the weakest member fail, the whole team will be punished.
Consistency - How often do we find superbly talented individuals fade into obscurity after one victory? I believe we have all seen ourselves and others gone through the same path. How are we to maintain and repeat the stellar performance?
Cohesion - If our values are not coherent, there can be no cohesion in our lives: Falling apart is just a natural consequence. Has anyone seen a heavy vehicle on the road with one of the wheels loosened and ready to come off anytime? The inevitable crash of the vehicle is exactly the same as what we can expect to go though, if our values are not coherent!
However, “cohesion” doesn’t mean you are always liking someone or being agreeable at all times. But rather, the silent mutual sense of loyalty and readiness to support unconditionally.
As in courtship, looking for the perfect partner or team is just half the game. Being the right person is just as important. So are we doing our best in the role we are playing?
Another point to note that while there can be no perfect individual, it is possible to have an almost perfect team, if every member is as dependable and pass the 5C test above.
Read further below for the difference between coherence and cohesion, as defined by Webster dictionary at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
Main Entry: co·he·sion 
Pronunciation: kO-'hE-zh&n
Function: noun
1 : the act or state of sticking together tightly; especially : UNITY
2 : union between similar plant parts or organs
coherence
Main Entry: co·her·ence
Pronunciation: kO-'hir-&n(t)s, -'her-
Function: noun
1 : the quality or state of cohering : as a : systematic or logical connection or consistency b : integration of diverse elements, relationships, or values
In our journey for self-realization, we certainly must first be equipped with these 5Cs!
