3 teamwork lessons for advisors from a navy SEAL boot camp

Here are three lessons I learned while at the boot camp. 

(1) Help, encourage and trust your teammates 

It was a lot easier to reach a consensus and align our goals with our four-person boat crew first. While racing and carrying a log overhead, the first thing we did was to try and assess how we could best help each other carry the weight.  

We knew we needed to step in time so we would not trip on each other. Walter, an ex-Marine, would call out the steps from the rear. During the race, another teammate’s shoulder became very sore due to a recent operation. I moved forward to take his weight. We stayed positive, encouraged each other, and we ended up beating the young guys. 

(2) Communicate and establish a shared vision 

It was a little hard at first to communicate, as none of us knew each other, but we knew that the sooner we could communicate the sooner we’d have an advantage. Together we decided what the core mission was and everyone’s role, so the team could succeed.

This might seem obvious, but it’s easy to lose sight of goals when faced with challenges or obstacles. Whether your objective is supporting your team by linking arms and sitting in the ocean while being pounded by waves —or implementing software or obtaining market share — a shared vision will keep the team focused and on track. 

(3) Be flexible,keep it fun and stay warm 

You might have a plan, but be ready to make adjustments at any time.Just when we thought we understood a drill, our instructors would make it a little more interesting.  

Todd, the teammate with the sore shoulder, got our boat crew singing during our runs. I encouraged our crew to hug to stay warm when many began to shiver from the cold-water drills. Together as a team we finished the boot camp.  

There were some who gave up or got hurt. They grabbed a doughnut and a coffee and left. But we hung in there, breaking the boot camp activities down into one task at a time—and we got through each of those “one tasks” together. 

All of us will inevitably have our own mountains to climb and oceans to cross. Yet regardless of the landscape, we will require the help of others to reach our destination. Through the power of positive teamwork we can harness skills beyond our own and achieve success we might not otherwise see.