Random Thoughts - What do the UEFA European Football Championships Have to do with Team Cohesion?

The answer to the question in the title is … I am not sure … but the good thing about these Random Thoughts posts is that they are intended to be stream of consciousness. They are me working through observations and thoughts that I am having that I may not quite be able to articulate fully just yet. So bare with me on this one…

I have always enjoyed and appreciated football/soccer, but my fandom is pretty limited to the World Cup (typically watching the US Women’s National Team) and the random Premier League game that happens to be on. Nevertheless, I am sitting here in the United Kingdom watching the UEFA European Championships—referred to as the Euros—surrounded by friends and strangers all putting the same unwavering level of hope and emotional energy into their country doing well in the tournament. Something is hitting me differently that I am working through in this post because I know that this vibe is not about the “normal” sports analogy for team building.

I am not surprised by just how different the experience of watching a football game is here, especially a major tournament such as this, but I am surprised by just how swept up in the fanfare and fanaticism I am getting. The energy of this is not hard to get caught up in, but I find my self on the edge of my seat. I am learning the players, their strengths/weaknesses, the formations and the strategy on the pitch (you can see I am learning the lingo as well!). To the surprise of our English friends, I am even commenting (somewhat) intelligently on good and bad gameplay during the matches, without their guidance.

I think the random thought that I am trying to articulate is more than just the team on the field, the game itself, or even the tournament. This experience has been an unexpected and altogether exciting glimpse into a cultural pillar that most European countries have in common, with their own individual ways of expressing it. I know this tournament happens every 4 years, but for me it is a unique opportunity to be in one of the epicenters of the game, where football is practically religion. To be a part of the fandom without having to be a fan of one of the giant clubs like Manchester City, Arsenal or Real Madrid. Where houses may normally be divided based on which team you root for, I get to see the whole country rally around one team. I only just yesterday found out that the Copa America (the Americas equivalent of the Euros) starts in the coming few days and I don’t remember anyone talking about it in the US ever, much less making much effort to watch it. Conversely, people here have been watching the qualifying games for quite some time. They have been getting ready with great anticipation.

This being a space with a focus on the workplace, let me get to my point—The easy thing would be for me to talk about how one builds a team, each with their unique strengths. Each complementing one another. How the manager, like a leader in a workplace, has to prepare their people for the “big game” and then trust that each will execute their role to the best of their ability until the goal is reached. However, I am more interested in the fandom side. Is it pure passion that brings people together who might, on any other game day, be at odds? And if so, how do we tap into that in our work environments? How do we ensure that everyone, even with their differing agendas based on their place in the organization or specific role, puts all that aside to lift each other up for the great good? It’s not a sustainable level of emotional investment for the long term, but can we find a way to gear everyone up at the right times, when it really counts to make that big impact?

I know that this whole thesis sounds a bit counterintuitive, suggesting we model the employee experience on the team in the stands (who are bystanders by definition and not directly involved in success or failure), rather than the one on the field. I think my point is that there is an emotional tipping point when we find a shared goal, a shared passion to all get behind, when all other differences are set aside for the greater good, whether the goal is achieved 100% or not. I would put my money on a team with this passionate drive on their side over the one with all the talent in the world. I think we have seen it time and again in every underdog story success story ever witnessed.

On a tangential note … this has me getting more and more excited for experiencing the Olympics in Paris in just over a month. I think the vibe will be similar and perhaps even more overwhelming being in the midst of the crowds supporting the athletes representing their country. I can’t wait!