Wallyball is played in a racquetball court and generally follows the same rules as volleyball. The ball is no longer in play if it bounces off the ceiling or back wall of the court. Conversely, the ball remains in play if it bounces off the side walls so long as it hits only once. Savvy players know that spiking the ball against the side wall tends to trip up their opponent’s successful return – a very effective competitive advantage. Once the teams are warmed up, and team members are setting up shots for each other, the game is fast, furious and fun! So, what on earth does Wallyball have to do with teams at work? Plenty.

Have you ever been on a team that really hummed along and got important stuff done? Everyone was focused on a single goal. Responsibilities shifted from one team member to another with ease. When one team member was out straight others pitched in. Communications were typically more frequent when the pressure was on. Asking for and receiving help was the norm. Goal achievement was genuinely recognized and celebrated as a team effort.

Now, compare that to experiences where it felt like your own team mates were playing on the opposing Wallyball team and spiking the ball right and left seemingly to prompt unsuccessful returns. And that behavior is not far from the truth in some organizations where employees have been in competition with each other for job security. The lousy economy over the past couple of years may have fostered bad behaviors that will be tough to change. If left unaddressed team performance will suffer and unwanted turnover inevitable. So, here’s the top ten check list for positioning your team for hum along success, mutual respect and trust and employee retention:

• Goals and expected outcomes are crystal clear and all team players are committed to them
• The team collectively created an overall game plan for achieving goals
• Team members made the time to clarify roles and responsibilities
• Work assignments are challenging yet achievable
• Team members created an environment where folks freely express their ideas, share their expertise, ask questions (including asking for help) and learn from each other
• Team is committed to improving its approaches to decision making, problem solving & conflict resolution
• Effectiveness of communications is routinely monitored and adjusted
• Meetings continually get more productive and efficient
• Team owns its collective shortcomings and gives credit when credit is due
• Team players recognize and appreciate the quality of the employment experience

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