It's called "The Boat Race" and has been taking place for 178 years. Each year in March two eight man rowing teams from Oxford and Cambridge universities compete in a race along a four mile stretch of the River Thames in London. It's described as "the most famous, most watched rowing race in the world".

So what has that got to do with Straight Talk? It was a phrase in a Time magazine article in early December that caught my eye. "Part of the trick", said the researcher, an expert on teamwork, who spent seven months training with the teams last year, "is simply getting people to talk."

He compares the rowing teams to high level executive teams. Both are made up of talented ambitious people, from diverse backgrounds, operating in stressfulpressure-cooker environments. The best way to go fast in a boat is to co-operate fully but while the oarsmen are teammates, they are also rivals for seats in the boat on race day. Similarly, success in an executive team is only possible when people co-operate, in spite of their being in competition with each other for promotions, resources and the attention of their superiors.

In both situations tensions and conflicts are inevitable. More and more it is becoming apparent that the only way they can be eased is to get people to talk to each other. People work best with others they know and trust, in working environments where conflicts can be surfaced and problems resolved. It's called good communication, interpersonal skills, a social element and emotional intelligence.

I call it Straight Talk and your team simply won't be successful without it.