Using Fortnite as Inspiration for Team Structure

They say inspiration can come from the most unusual places. For Rackspace CTO EMEA Lee James inspiration came while watching his children play Fortnite, a popular video game with more than 350 million registered players around the world. “It enlightened me.”

As James watched his children play the game, he realized that its team structure was ideal for achieving successful cloud deployments, overcoming an ongoing business challenge. “I saw some parallels in what makes the game work and how we work at work.”

James has found that companies with successful cloud deployments share three team-building characteristics: they are connected to specific outcomes, each team member demonstrates his or her skills in the best ways possible, and everything is build round the outcome and rewarding success.

Fortnite’s team-building elements are remarkably similar. Individuals need to work together with their squad mates toward a shared goal, which is wiping out the other squads. There is no manager, so each team member has to bring his or her best skills to the table in order to win. Each game only lasts 15 to 20 minutes, so everyone takes responsibility for the outcome and the rewards for success are immediate.

Cloud team structure is the topic of the latest Cloud Talk podcast. In just 30 minute, James and Rackspace CTO Jeff DeVerter discuss how the team-building elements used in Fortnite correlate to creating an ideal structure for building and sustaining successful cloud teams.

Listen now to learn more about:

• How a popular online video game exemplifies an ideal team building structure
• How elements of Fortnite squads dovetail with elements of successful cloud teams
• The value of short tasks that deliver immediate rewards based on successful outcomes
• The role gamification can play in helping cloud teams achieve optimum performance
• Why you should give team members individuality and maximize their strongest skill set
• The value of giving feedback incrementally and rewarding short-term achievements
• Why thinking small keeps teams nimble and supports optimum team performance

Building the right teams in the right way is ultimately about driving more innovation and collaboration across the enterprise — and so, in that way, a video game is the ideal creative inspiration for better team building. Fortnite demonstrates the best features of ideal cloud teams — from being small to focusing on short-term outcomes to receiving rewards. “Winning is a celebration, not just a handshake and head home,” said James. “There’s nothing better than hearing my kids scream with joy after a win and celebrate with high-fives and a dance.”