You would think that any team with impeccable talent would get perfect results. But there have been a number of loaded teams that refute such a thought. The U.S. 2006 World Baseball Classic team put together some of the best players to play the game including Roger Clemens, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, but couldn’t beat Canada, Mexico or South Korea and failed to qualify for the semifinals with a sixth place finish.
Teamwork
Team members will reluctantly, if at all, accept a new member to their team until he or she has proven they belong there and the first two stages (forming and storming) have adequately been worked through. Leaders can do some things to speed this process up and help acclimate the new member to the team.
There has to be a point in which teamwork can’t exist because individual agendas interfere. But there also has to be a point in which team incentives are so great you have to put aside your own agenda for the good of the team. Maybe there is no balance; it’s one or the other?
Often times when we hear the word conflict we think of war, after school fights, marital disagreements etc… I would bet that each of these images conjures up a negative perception about conflict in your mind. However, is conflict really a bad thing?
For example, you’re driving in your neighborhood one day where a woman driving a car in front of you decides to follow the speed limit – 25 MPH. Going down the hill she puts her brakes on repeatedly. You are already late to work and this frustrates you even more. “Of all the days,” you think to yourself, “this clown, this jerk, this bozo decides to go the speed limit.” “And I know she is frustrating me on purpose because she doesn’t like how close I am to her bumper.” “That does it,” you tell yourself, “I’m going to pass this inconsiderate dork.”
