THE GLUE YOU MAY BE OVERLOOKING

Written by Jessica Murray

Do you ever think about the glue holding your business together?

The person.

The technology.

The systems.

Glue might not be the first thing you notice (or measure performance against).

When you look at a building, do you first think about its binding agent?

I’m guessing most of you would answer, “no.”

You admire the facade, the interiors, or the other elements tailored to capture your eye.

The same may be true when examining your business and team.

When you look at how things are going, you’re likely more drawn to:

• The sales that closed this week.

• That valuable partnership on the horizon.

• The marketing campaign that’s driving more leads than you can manage.

The people who shine in your eyes are the ones driving those outcomes.

That’s all important, and those metrics are quantifiable signals of revenue progress or traction.

But you also shouldn’t forget about that glue. It’s what determines how various pieces of your business come together and make things actually hold.

Strong glue helps you sustain under pressure.

It can withstand extra weight and mold with growth.

That’s why it’s critical.

It’s part of the foundations.

The infrastructure.

Last fall, an article was published in The Wall Street Journal highlighting behavioral scientist Jon Levy’s research on what makes teams thrive. A concept that surfaced was the outsized impact, or multiplier effect, caused by glue team members.

In his words:

A glue player is the team member who multiplies everyone else’s results, helping the team win. They have unusually high emotional intelligence and know how to move the group forward. They anticipate needs, take actions no one asked them to and help teammates perform at their best, often without seeking recognition. They put the team above themselves and don’t fight for credit because their priority is progress, not attention.

While this team member may not be able to rattle off revenue and inbound lead stats that turn heads, their impact on performance should. Without them, momentum may stall.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you know: There are those moments when growth accelerates, and you start to feel demand pull before systems and teams may be ready. This is when you lean on your glue.

Invest in it.

Let it help bring all the pieces together and push you into the next phase stronger.