At Hughes Marino, our award-winning culture and team performance thrives on continuous improvement, knowing that EVERY detail matters. This includes identifying things, both big and small, that may not be running as smoothly as they could be and having the courage to speak up when challenges might arise. As part two of our HM-ism series, we wanted to focus on a motivating phrase centered around teamwork, that follows our last HM-ism spotlight in always striving to get 1 percent better, because improvement stops when silence begins.
One of our more recent HM-isms comes from Ben Hunt‑Davis, an Olympic legend and author of “Will It Make the Boat Go Faster?,” which also happens to be one of our favorite reads! His book outlines the incredible story behind the framework that transformed Great Britain’s rowing team from underperformers into Olympic Champions. Our team was fortunate enough to hear Ben’s inspirational story during a special all-team meeting, which included this concept, and left a big impact:
If you see something that’s not as good as it could be and choose not to discuss it, you’re helping us lose.
The Concept
According to Ben, when we notice something that isn’t working as well as it could be and choose not to say anything, we’re unintentionally allowing that inefficiency or dysfunction to continue, ultimately leading the team to lose. But in a high-performing culture, accountability isn’t just top-down, but rather it’s shared, regardless of seniority. Just as Olympic athletes examine every detail of their preparation and performance, we too must take ownership of our environment, our procedures and our results. This means being willing to (politely) question the status quo, identify areas for improvement and speak up, even when it might be a tad uncomfortable. Because in a team setting, what affects one of us often affects all of us. Speaking up isn’t about criticism, it’s about caring enough to help us all get better.
How to Apply This HM-ism
Putting this mindset into action starts with simply paying attention. Notice the areas where things feel clunky or inefficient. Maybe it’s a recurring miscommunication in a project handoff, a confusing process or a tool that creates more friction than flow. These small signals are often overlooked, but they’re the perfect place to start!
Once you’ve spotted something, don’t hesitate to thoughtfully speak up. It can be as simple as saying, “I’ve noticed something that might be worth improving.” Framing your input as a question or an observation invites collaboration rather than criticism, and it shows your investment in the team’s success, especially when you provide your ideas for possible solutions.
Next, be open to the conversation that follows. Improvement is a two-way street, and great ideas often evolve when other teammates add their own perspectives. By staying receptive and focused on the goal, the whole team can move forward together.
Finally, keep track of the small wins. Maybe it’s a smoother meeting, a faster client response or less back-and-forth on a project. Noticing these improvements reinforces that speaking up makes a difference—and encourages others to do the same.
Making It Happen
Drawing from Ben’s journey, the British rowing crew relentlessly examined each aspect of practice and process, keeping only what propelled their boat forward. They actively eliminated what didn’t, and that uncompromising honesty was the engine behind their gold-medal performance.
By championing a culture where raising one’s voice might save all of us from losing, we harness the same relentless improvement mindset that drove the boat to gold.
What will you speak up about this week? Your one idea might make the whole boat go faster!
