Team Value

When you hear the word, “team” what comes to your mind?  Do you think of sports?  Maybe a work group? Have you been on a team for a class project?  Do you prefer to do things solo, like Pilates or other one-person exercises, or do you like playing on a team?  Have you been on a team that was frustrating to you? What good experiences have you enjoyed in relation to being on a team? 

There are lots of examples in the Bible that speak to teamwork and how important it is for accomplishing great things, being an effective individual, personal growth and heaps of additional benefits.  One example, that can often be overlooked, was how Moses lead the Israelites when they left Egypt and lived in the wilderness for forty years.  On Moses’ team were: Aaron, the twelve leaders from the twelve tribes of Israel and the cameo contribution from Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law.  I also think that Jesus’ twelve disciples were a team of sorts, engaging with Jesus’ ministry and vision.  Additionally, I’d suggest that Paul had his own team of leaders in all his church planting efforts and missionary journeys.  Finally, it's also noteworthy to consider that God, Who is Trinity, is a “team” composed of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

In thinking about teamwork, here are some things that are helpful observations:

·         Diversity:  the best teams are comprised of lots of different members who bring their various talents to improve the collective whole.  If everyone is the same, then the weaknesses are magnified, and the strengths are redundant.

·         Individual contributions:  what each individual can contribute to the team can make the whole team better.  When a team member disconnects and refuses to contribute, the whole team can suffer from the deficiency.

·         Learning:  teamwork can be one of the best environments for learning, growing, improving, exploring and discovery. 

·         Achievements:  what a team can achieve can often far surpass what an individual can accomplish.  Great achievements are almost never done outside of the context of a team.

·         Friction:  when a team is most healthy and functional, there will be friction and the occasional tense moment.  This doesn’t have to be a bad thing, as long as there’s respect and each team member is willing to learn, grow, serve and have patience.

·         Time and Space:  each person on a team processes and works at a different speed than other team members.  Often times, what we’re good at, we can do quickly.  What we aren’t good at can take us longer to accomplish.  It’s important that teams recognize and allow each member to have time and space for learning and participating.

As I finish this blog, I’m reminded of an experience I had a few weeks ago when I had the privilege of participating on a team to work through some important strategic planning.  In full honesty, the whole concept of strategic planning used to baffle and intimidate me.  I never thought I had any ability to do that kind of work.  As I was part of this team, earlier this month, I realized that I’ve grown and changed over the years.  I also recognized that teamwork is an essential ingredient for successful strategic planning.  Furthermore, I’ve come to deeply value the essential contributions that each team member brings to make the whole team better and all the more effective.  Let’s make sure that we are not only growing individuals but that we are also valuable team members, contributing to achievements that can far surpass our personal abilities.  Go TEAM!