Formula for Success Episode 6
- kenpasternak
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Episode 6 of the BBC World’s television series ‘Formula for Success’ addresses the importance of TEAMWORK. It showcases my “Performance at the Limit, Business Lessons from Formula 1 Motor Racing” co-author, @Richard West, delivering the Pit Stop Challenge, a team exercise that simulates execution under pressure and how the takeaways from the experience relate to performance on the job.
Before writing the book, the Pit Stop Challenge was included in our two-day workshop for an international law firm where it was delivered 50 times over three years. It never failed to be a great energizer and learning experience for all.
In 2005, Richard and I ventured to China where we delivered a one-day workshop on business lessons from Formula 1 for a major Chinese enterprise. The participants combined the company’s senior executives with representatives from their key clients. Richard and his team brought an F1 car to China so we could include the Pit Stop Challenge as a teambuilding exercise. It was a great success. (Note: the body in the photo is a dummy, not a workshop participant).
After the workshop, we guided the group on a Formula 1 weekend experience at the Shanghai Grand Prix including visits to the pit lane and team garages; which gave me a chance to talk with future World Champion Nico Rosberg who had just signed with WilliamsF1.
In previous posts I have shared Episodes 1-5 of ‘Formula for Success’: OVERVIEW AND MONEY, STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP, SPONSORSHIP AND BRANDING, TALENT RECRUITING AND TRAINING, and TECHNOLOGY – here is Episode 6.
Episode 6 -TEAMWORK highlights the importance of clearly defined roles, alignment, integration across departments, with examples from the Royal Air Force (pilots are only as good as the team around them, crucial learnings from debriefs, and no room for a blame culture); the Pit Stop Challenge in action (pressure, communication, integrated view) with examples of the principles being put it into action by Metronet Rail (London Underground refit) and Air Asia (plane turnaround on the ground).
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