According to John Maxwell, an expert on leadership and teamwork, he states,”the truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great achievement.” As a Sauder student, this statement has been proven true in a variety of circumstances. In Sauder, it is more normal to have an assignment with a team than individually. According to professors and other business professionals, the world works in teams. Great accomplishments are rarely achieved alone. If they are achieved alone, these instances are usually few and far between.
Knowing that teamwork achieves great results should make everyone jump at the opportunity to work in teams. Yet, teamwork and group projects are often avoided or a source of frustration to some. Why? If there is a chance to achieve amazing results when working with others, why would this be avoided? The truth about teams is that not only do they have the potential to achieve greatness, but they also have the potential to create incredible conflicts and tensions between people. I realize that this is not a new or profound revelation, but there are some important aspects of teamwork that should be assessed. Entire courses have been devoted to this.
The first problem occurs when people come together to form a team. Everyone comes with their own ideas and ways of approaching tasks/problems/situations. Regardless, of training or upbringing, people are naturally selfish and will approach a team with certain biases. To counter-balance this, it is key to keep the project goal and the team members in the forefront ahead of your own goals. Easier said than done – yes?
This year I have been wrestling with the concept of “doing things alone” versus doing things in teams. Throughout the past few years, I’ve learned that I am a capable, intelligent person. I know that when I decide to do something, it is done well because I work hard and put the time in to make whatever I’m doing great. That’s great. Enter team mates. Team mates that I don’t know. Team mates who have different ideas, different work ethics and different standards of how to get work done. I now have two options; do I 1) take the lead and graciously TELL people what to do and how to do it (because remember I know that I can do things well and see great results). Or, 2) do I allow myself to TRUST my team – even though I do not know them – and give them the benefit of the doubt that they are just as, if not more, amazing as me. These past few years have been an exploration journey of these options. It has been a fluid, dynamic process. Sometimes I trust more and things go well. Sometimes I don’t trust and things still go well. What is hard, though, is when I trust and then my trust is broken by team mates who do not return the trust I have given.
Has this process helped me develop any guiding principles, if you will, when I approach teamwork? Yes, in fact here are three that I have found very helpful. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but these principles have been the starting ground for many successful projects and teams. I would like to humbly share with you what I have found.
1) Always listen. Listen to your team mates, listen to your gut, listen to people outside the project.
2) Always go back to the purpose or mission statement for the project. Be committed to that purpose.
3) Be an encourager. Be the number one fan of your team mates.
As I wrestle with this topic of doing it alone or doing it with others, I’ve found that by implementing these three principles, many projects have been “saved”. Not only do these principles apply to the team process, but they can also be applied to the team process with myself. I’ve learned that as I apply these insights to myself and the way I think about or treat myself – especially after receiving a not so great mark on something – this is a determinant of my success with others. Because ultimately, how you treat yourself is a reflection of how you will treat others.
But I digress, the point of this narrative is to communicate the importance of learning from others. It is something I aspire to grow in everyday.