Last weekend, iARATech put its computers down, no laptops, no clients, no deadlines, just an open field, a cricket bat, and 30+ people who typically spend their time working together and this past weekend, we competed against each other in the beautiful way that only healthy competition can create.
Our sports day was simple, an outdoor cricket match where everyone could enjoy pure and unfiltered fun was a reminder that, before there were spreadsheets and strategy meetings and target numbers, you were just another person who enjoyed playing.
Who participated? Our co-founders, Subhash Singh, did not sit on the sideline, they were participating in the game as batters and fielders, calling questionable LBW calls and celebrating with the group and making light of themselves when the younger members of the group would make them appear slow. The picture of the two of them alone speaks to the type of leadership that iARATech is based upon, no pedestal, no hierarchy on the playing field, just people.
Following the game, the group came together for a meal, stories of the games were told again, and once again exaggerated, someone recounted their “best shot” three times, someone else endured the teasing for dropping a catch they will likely never live down, there was food, warmth and that unique type of dialogue that occurs when a group shares something physically and collectively.
Everyone then went home, tired in the best possible way. Because while Sports Day is simply a fun outing, it is also a reflection of the company culture. When healthy competition is embedded within the proper culture, the teams become stronger. On the playing field you discover aspects of your colleagues that months of sitting at a desk will not provide insight into, such as who remains calm under pressure. Who helps lift up the rest of the team during times of low momentum. Who can lead loudly, and who can lead quietly but surely? Who laughs the loudest during times of disaster and maintains the energy and morale?
Those characteristics are not solely attributes of a player, those are the exact same characteristics that demonstrate how a team member will handle a difficult client, meet a looming deadline or manage a failing project. Business, similar to sport, is not a single entity, the most successful results occur when individuals contribute their personal best to the collective, not instead of it. Healthy competition enhances the individual component and the collective culture provides a means to build on the contributions of each individual, creating something greater than the sum of its parts.
That balance is what iARATech strives to achieve every day, not cutthroat, nor complacent, but somewhere in the middle, competitive enough to challenge each other, and grounded enough to celebrate the successes of the entire team.
The last weekend reminded us of that in perhaps the most human manner possible, a cricket ball, an open sky and a team that actually enjoy each other’s company. That is not a small thing, in a world that continues to move quickly and rarely stops to pause, that is everything.