TEAMWORK  

Teamwork.  Together.  Loyalty.  Cooperation.  Trust.  We are all on the same team, so take one for team humankind!

Teamwork is when members of a team work together toward a common goal or for greater good of the team.  Notice there is no I, but WE in teamwork.  Teamwork is central to the success of all teams, groups and organizations and is necessary to reach a goal or accomplish a task.  Good teamwork requires teammates who are cooperative, selfless, kind, respectful, honest, trustworthy, loyal, responsible and dependable.  Good teamwork can sharpen those characteristics and they can extend to other areas of life.  What’s more, those and other traits, like grit, and emotions like happiess, excitement, joy are contagious!  Yes, having a gritty or happy teammate can spread and make other teammates grittier and happier!

A good team member doesn’t simply show up, although showing up is certainly important.  Rather, a good team member actively contributes to the common good of the team, which may mean making sacrifices, or putting one’s own interest aside for the good of the team.  “Taking one for the team” might be as simple as doing more than your fair share of work or taking more than your fair share of criticism.  It may mean letting another team member take the free-throw, pass the ball so someone else can score the goal, or smiling while another team member take the spotlight.  Good teammates support each other when times are tough and praise each other when times are good.  Good teamwork is when all of the members of the team (the teammates) collaborate, have a say in team decisions, respect differences of opinion, and cooperate even if it isn’t exactly what the individual team member wants to do.   

Teamwork is essential for all teams to function optimally.  Teams come in all shapes and sizes, such as: families, clubs, classmates, groups of friends, schools, companies, work teams, and of course sports teams like the Missouri Tigers!   Teamwork may be as important for success as exceptional skill or talent.  The most talented team in the world lacking teamwork may not be as successful as a team with less talent, but solid teamwork! 

Although teamwork facilitates working toward the same goal, the fun of teamwork is the collaboration and comraderie along the journey to the goal. 

No matter what your team, at the end of the day, we are all on the same team, so take one for team humankind! 

Teamwork.  Try it on for size.