“Teams help ordinary people achieve extraordinary results.”
I am a firm believer in team work. Since the beginning of the industrial age group leadership has been based on the military model of command and control. Industrialist managed groups by pushing and forcing them. At best we got compliance and conformity. At worst we set up huge “we/they” gaps that lead to union/management conflict and lots of other problems. Group ownership, shared goals, creativity, and participation were minimal. In the bad old days, the boss’ idea of participation was like the kid who rode the sled down hill and “shared” it with his teammates to take it back up again.As this Aesop’s fable illustrates, even weaker people are powerful when united in a strong team. It’s one of the most effective ways to mobilize and energize people.
Teams are a key way to get people participating and involved. That leads to higher levels of ownership, commitment — and energy. Numerous studies of North American change and improvement efforts in organizations have shown that major gains in quality, service, or productivity are driven by huge increases in participation and involvement levels throughout those successful organizations. There remains a story that stands to be very amazing in concept. A certain man had several sons who were always quarreling with one another, and, try as he might, but he could not get them to live together in harmony. So he determined to convince them of their folly by the following means. Bidding them fetch a bundle of sticks, he invited each in turn to break it across his knee. All tried and all failed: and then he undid the bundle, and handed them the sticks one by one, when they had no difficulty at all in breaking them, “There, my boys,” he said, “united you will be more than a match for your enemies: but if you quarrel and separate, your weakness will put you at the mercy of those who attack you.” Unity is strength. But most importantly UNITY OF PURPOSE is the ultimate definition of team work and synergy. Have u ever tried breaking a broom with little single sticks in half… How hard is it??? Very hard. Even strong men never get that far. Teams that are unified in purpose stand the test of time and people.
I simple say TEAM is WEALTH. In our world today people seek to grow wealth consciously or subconsciously. People that are caught up in the rat race also seek to break free one day but they never realize that doing it alone never gets them too far. Today’s highly effective teams have a broad ownership and participation in the team’s tasks and how everyone works together to achieve them. Team members and leaders share responsibility for the effectiveness of the team. One of the best indicators of the strength of a team is the “We to Me” ratio. How often do team members and leaders use “we” and “ours” instead of “I,” “me” and “mine” in their conversations?
Monumental achievements are driven by ideals passionately geared towards clearly mapped out goals. Teams answer questions that if individual answered would be limited in nature. Teams pull together resources that enable greater achievement for the greater good. Ideal questions like the once listed below are better answered by people who are unified in purpose to build a legacy of wealth that will stand the test of time and people.
- Why do we exist (our purpose)?
- Where are we going (our vision)?
- How will we work together (our values)?
- Whom do we serve (internal or external customers or partners)?
- What is expected of us?
- What are our performance gaps (difference between the expectations and our performance)?
- What are our goals and priorities?
- What’s our improvement plan?
- What skills do we need to develop?
- What support is available?
- How will we track our performance?
- How/when will we review, assess, celebrate, and refocus?
Teams develop answers and related action plans around each question. Bringing a team together with a shared focus and taking action to make it happen is a powerful way to mobilize and energize. Wealth is a legacy that can be attained individually but is better attained collectively. Team wealth is built to last strong and last long. The foundation of wealth is bent on tenets of principled work and when a team is able to consciously carry out principled work then the achievement is greater than that of an individual.
Teamwork is a subject we don’t here allot about in relation to MONEY, PROMOTIONS, WEALTH and even HEALTH. As entrepreneurs we are naturally inclined to “do things ourselves” Like the old saying goes if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. Although in some situations this may be true, most of the time using teamwork will get more done better and faster than you could ever do by yourself. Irrespective of how much you think you know, if you want to grow your wealth you have to be unselfish about working with other people. Putting you best foot forward.
Teamwork is against Social Programming
Haven’t you ever realized that team work is against social at strategic and critical stages of growth and development. The educational system for one says its OK to work on a project in teams but when it comes to the last major exam you have to do it on your own cause co-operation is called cheating. Now for some many folks reading this you might not understand this right away because we were all born into the system and we don’t see any farther than we are meant to. In the real world you work in teams for the most difficult project if you really want to win and build wealth. I always say a test or any exam of any kind is never a true test of any mans ability. Mark the word TRUE TEST… Instead the true test of ability is in a team setting where you have to narrow down on what is most essential for who and why.
There is strength in numbers and there are things way more valuable than money. The synergy and collective power of a mastermind of entrepreneurs is worth more than any purse can pay. Money comes from ideas and the best ideas come from a collective group of creative minds. Ideas don’t chase money, monetary resources chase ideas and an idea developed by a team becomes monumental in its ability to have resources chase after it and over take it in the process. For every idea you have; find a few people who can help magnify that idea and that’s the basis of WEALTH. Magnify the idea. Theres more to an idea than you can ever imagine.
Teamwork is worth more than a sale
I would rather be in a room of 100 great minds and me be the only one no one knows than be in a room by myself and have 100 raving fans. I would rather build a mutually beneficial team of 100 people than to get a commission from 100 customers. Teams and the collective creativity that comes from them are what creates real fortunes. If you ever have the chance of being part of a great team don’t let that opportunity pass because it might not be there tomorrow.
Stop trying to control everything and don’t let the fear of loss keep you from gaining everything you’ve ever wanted. Also don’t let your emotions blind you to despise someone on your team if there is a chance they may make a profit or gain a prospect for the services or strengths that they contribute. Everyone that adds to the strength of the team deserves to be compensated in some way or another.
And like I said before there are things much more valuable than money. For these are the things that create WEALTH which is more than money can ever buy. So Utilize the strengths of those around you and add to your team the gifts and talents you posses and together you will accomplish more than you ever could alone.
You might not last long but your ideas can last longer.
You might not live long but your legacy of wealth can live longer
You might not have what it takes to be rich; But you have all it takes to be WEALTHY
follow me on Twitter: @samueldavids
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