From teamwork talk to teamwork in action
A little while ago Norwich City legend Grant Holt popped through the doors at KNP.
Holty joined us for a behind-the-scenes look at how the Canaries’ matchday programmes are produced, and while he was with us, he spoke about what it is that makes great teams work: Communication. Trust. Knowing your role. Backing each other up. Putting in the effort even when nobody else sees it.
It was insightful, and to be honest inspiring. The kind of words that really resonate and you find yourself thinking ‘yeah, totally, that’s exactly how it should be done!’
So, as you do, we thought let’s see some teamwork in action. And we decided to enter a football tournament. Because why simply listen to a Norwich City legend talk about teamwork when you can then pull on your boots, run (maybe stagger) around Carrow Road, and see whether any of its actually sunk in?
That was the thinking, anyway.
Norwich City Community Sports Foundation Canary Cup.
The tournament the KNP team entered was the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation Canary Cup six-a-side tournament. A fantastic event that brought together around 20 local businesses for a day of football, friendly rivalry and community spirit.
And we’re pleased to report that, once the first whistle went, our team did us proud.
We finished top of our league, unbeaten, without conceding a single goal. There was the teamwork we hoped to see, there was organisation, there was no shortage of effort and, depending on who you ask, there might even have been the occasional moment of genuine footballing quality.
The semi-final proved to be the end of the road for us though. But valiant to the end, it took an agonising penalty shoot-out loss to the eventual winners, Contract Personnel Limited, for us to bow out.
As Stuart Pearce, Chris Waddle and Gareth Southgate know, it’s the cruellest way to leave a football tournament. Especially when you haven’t conceded a single goal in open play.
Not that we’re still thinking about it. Much.
More than football.
But while the competitive side of the day was great fun, the Canary Cup was about much more than the footie. It was a brilliant opportunity to spend time with other local businesses, support a strong community event, and be part of something that brings people together through sport.
Events like this matter because they remind us that business is still built on people.
Yes, we all have jobs to do, deadlines to meet, emails to answer and projects to keep moving. But taking a team out of their usual working day, putting them in a different environment, and asking them to work together in a new way has real value.
You see people communicate differently. You see who encourages others, who keeps going when things get a bit tough. And you see how people respond when plans change, pressure builds, or penalties get involved!
From the football pitch to the shop floor.
Just like out on the pitch, great print doesn’t happen because of one person, one machine or one good idea. It happens because a whole team works together.
Teamwork in action at KNP Towers starts with understanding what a customer needs. Then it moves through estimating, planning, artwork, production, finishing, fulfilment and delivery. Along the way, there are details to check, timings to manage, questions to answer and decisions to make.
When everyone knows their role, communicates clearly and supports the people around them, the whole process clicks.
That means fewer headaches for customers. Fewer last-minute surprises. More confidence. More consistency. And a better finished result.
That’s why teamwork matters so much to us at KNP. Not just because it makes us a better place to work, although it definitely does. But because our customers feel the benefit too.
When a print job lands on time, looks right, feels right and does what it needs to do, that’s the result of a team pulling in the same direction.
It might not involve shin pads, a referee or the emotional rollercoaster of a semi-final penalty shootout, but the principle is the same. You need people who know what they’re doing. You need communication. You need trust. You need everyone to care about the result.
And, ideally, you need no goals conceded!
Positive impact.
So, while our first Canary Cup campaign ended one step short of the final, we came away proud of the performance, proud of each other, and delighted to have been part of such a fantastic local event.
A big well done to Contract Personnel Limited, and to everyone who took part and helped make the day a roaring success.
As for us, we’ll be taking the positives.
Top of the group. No goals conceded. Strong teamwork. Great community spirit. And maybe just a little bit of unfinished business for next time.
Want to be benefit from all that glorious teamwork in action, doing it’s thing? Don’t be shy, let us know.
