Look, my automotive expertise extends to scheduling dealership appointments and having excellent taste in car colors (red, obviously). Custom car restoration? That's about as familiar to me as quantum physics.
Which is why it's surprising that I just binged an entire Netflix series about rebuilding classic cars.
Have you watched Tex Mex Motors on Netflix yet?
In these dark, cold months, I often dive into reality TV (my favorites are the ones about cults - what can I say, I'm fascinated by group dynamics and strong leaders!). But this car restoration show caught me by surprise - not because of the stunning vehicles, but because it hit so close to home as a leader.
What hooked me was watching the real, raw process of strangers becoming a dream team. No screaming and yelling, no reality TV backstabbing - just talented people learning to trust each other and merge their unique superpowers. As someone who's led teams through ambitious projects, I found myself nodding along, remembering those magical moments when individual rockstars start playing in harmony.
Their mission was clear: Hit $500,000 in profit in 4 months. Now that's what I call a SMART goal! It was Specific (restore custom cars), Measurable (that big profit target), Achievable (stretched but possible), Relevant (success meant keeping their dream alive), and Time-bound (4-month deadline). But what really got me thinking was how they tackled it together.
You know what they say - "None of us is as smart as all of us." Watching this crew prove that truth hit home hard. Here were people bringing totally different skills to the table - mechanical genius, business savvy, design brilliance, sales magic - and learning to weave it all together into something extraordinary. As a leadership coach, I see teams struggle with this dance every day. When it clicks, though? Pure magic.
This brings us to this week's code word: Teamwork.
Not just any teamwork - we're talking about that magical combination that transforms a random group of individuals into an unstoppable force.
Like the Tex Mex crew, great teams need four essential elements:
🤝 Trust: The high-octane fuel that powers everything. When team members trust each other and have psychological safety, they share ideas freely, admit mistakes openly, and take smart risks together.
🎯 Clear Roles: Everyone needs to know their lane. Just like you wouldn't want three people trying to change the same tire, teams thrive when each person understands their unique contribution.
🌟 Shared Goals: Success isn't just hitting numbers - it's about everyone understanding and buying into the bigger picture. What's your team's equivalent of a completely restored 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood lowrider?
🔄 Coordinated Effort: The smoothest engines have all parts working in perfect sync. How well does your team's workflow purr?
Think about your team right now. Are they humming along like a completely restored 1997 orange Lamborghini Diablo or sputtering like a dusty old engine in need of a tune-up?
Let's pop the hood and run a quick diagnostic:
🔧 Trust Test: Do ideas flow freely, or is everyone steering clear of the tough conversations? Watch for signs like hesitation to speak up in meetings or the dreaded "parking lot conversations" after decisions are made.
🔧 Role Clarity Check: Is everyone confidently driving in their lane, or are they swerving across the center line? Clear roles mean less friction and faster progress.
🔧 Goal Alignment Gauge: If you asked each team member to describe what success looks like, would their answers match? Misaligned or misunderstood goals are like trying to drive with a flat tire.
Your Leadership Challenge:
Choose one area where your team's performance needs attention. What small adjustment - think fine-tuning, not engine replacement - could help shift them into high gear? It could be as easy as a quick update meeting to clarify roles and expectations or as difficult as sitting down with that employee who is clearly broken down on the shoulder.
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