How far is too far? Lessons for business from ultra‐high‐performing military teams

Management in organizations has a common focus on achieving goals in the most productive, efficient way. Many managers use teams as powerful tools in focusing on and achieving goals. It has been claimed that everyone in an organization belongs to one or more teams. In parallel to the development of business teams, the US military has developed high‐performance teams to achieve discreet goals in ultra‐stressful, dangerous circumstances. Teams in business and the military are focused on goals that require in‐depth training, high personal investment by team members, deep commitment to the team, complementary skills, and high performance under pressure. Can business leaders learn from military teams who have lives depending on their performance? The research and analysis points to the conclusion that some lessons from military teams can be valuable for managers in business organizations, but also suggests that high performance may not be as desirable as it seems.