What a Channel Swim Taught Me About High-Performing Project Teams

It’s been almost two months since our industry English Channel relay swim, and the energy is still buzzing! Those who know me know I’ve completed a number of long-distance challenges, most of them solo. A solo challenge is a massive personal adventure that pushes you to your absolute limit. However, there is something uniquely special about completing a monumentally difficult task as part of a team. When you work collectively toward an exciting goal - especially while raising money and awareness for wonderful causes - it genuinely brings out the best in people and showcases the power of true teamwork. Reflecting on the experience over the last month, I realised the core lessons are perfectly applicable to our daily project teams.

1. Working Towards a Common Goal

In a Channel relay, the goal is crystal clear: if one person fails, the entire team falls short. This immediate necessity fosters an incredible spirit where everyone is supportive, helping each other through low points and "wobbles".

Do we apply this same mentality to our project teams? The philosophy remains the same - if one critical delivery fails, the whole project is at risk - but too often, people are quick to point fingers or retreat into their strict "swim lanes." While budget pressures and resource constraints are real, we must remember we are all paddling toward a single, shared outcome. A successful project team operates with a "one for all" mindset.

2. Open and Regular Communication

There are no "silly questions" when navigating open water. Every successful relay team I’ve been part of has established and maintained brutally open and direct communication channels, whether in person or using messaging services like WhatsApp.

The most successful projects I’ve worked on mirror this: they include regular, informal social gatherings of the whole team. This allows people to bond on a personal level, which provides a safer, more informal setting for tackling difficult and sensitive conversations when they arise. If you are not facilitating this level of personal connection on your large, long-term projects, I strongly recommend you try it.

3. Celebrating Success

With every swim challenge I have completed, we have ensured we take time to celebrate the achievement, whether that is immediately after we land or something planned in the weeks that follow - ideally, both!

The nature of project work often means we are rushing straight onto the next deliverable before fully finishing the previous one. Consequently, celebrations are routinely overlooked or forgotten. Regardless of your role, take the initiative to propose something. In most instances, everyone would like to celebrate, but someone just needs to get the ball rolling.

Conclusion

Above all, in every sporting challenge I have completed, whether solo or team-based, the journey has remained as important as the achievement. We dedicate a large amount of our time to delivering projects, so don’t just count down the days until it’s finished and you start again. Remember to enjoy the experience, the collaboration, and the people you share the work with.