The Power of the Handshake

When people gather, relationships ("handshakes") are formed. A leader must monitor the relationships of the team. Here's a way to look at it: Take the number of people on the team, subtract by one, and multiply those numbers. (10 team members minus 1 = 9. 10x9 = 90). Ninety relationships or handshakes on a team of ten. Twenty handshakes on a team of five. Twelve handshakes on a team of four. Six handshakes on a team of three. Two relationships on a team of two (me to you and you to me -- you might think our relationship is great, but I may not).

If on a team of 7, there are 42 relationships, the leader's role is to make sure the 42nd-best one (the worst) is still really good. What if that relationship is the one the team will need to lean on in order to accomplish something great? Like toilet paper, it had better be there when you need it.

At every airline, there is the worst pilot. The CEO still has to be able to put their family on that plane. It pays to make sure there is not deadly variance between the best and the worst.

What is the worst relationship on your team? Is it still really good?