The Power Of The Team
Sep 26 2010

As I watch my son play soccer, I think to myself how great it is that he is part of a team.  I watch him and his other 7 to 8 year old buddies communicate with each other on the field and off.  There’s a neat camaraderie and chemistry they have even at this young age.  They can be intensely focused on winning but realize that you win some, you lose some, you get some goals, you totally choke and miss some goals, and you are still a team.  The team skills are something I see him picking up organically because although I know I could try to explain to him the importance of playing certain positions, playing to your strengths, working with others on a team, etc. he would never really get it unless he experienced it.  He doesn’t know that he’s already learning valuable life lessons on the field and when he hangs out with those same buddies off the field.  Right now their team seems to work really well together and they win most of their games, which is good because they enjoy it and it motivates them to continue.  I think those people who played team sports growing up or were in groups like the military have an advantage when starting businesses or working on teams that are creating innovative products because working with other people can be the most enjoyable and yet sometimes the most emotionally draining experience you can have.  Knowing how to ride the waves of your own and others humanity can be the difference between success and failure in an endeavor or a work place.

My daughter seems to prefer swimming which is a more individual sport but if she gets good enough, she might want to join a swim team.  I played team sports at various times during my elementary/junior high school years (track, bowling, basketball) and then later in junior high and college I rode horses competitively as part of a team.  I also participated in some college intramural sports and company sports teams…mostly softball, but I wish I had done more.  I don’t really remember most of the people on those teams, but I do remember a few that made strong impressions on me based on their personalities and talents.

As the saying goes:  “There is no “I” in Team.”  Even investors in the high tech entrepreneurial world will say they would rather invest in an A Team with a B idea than a B Team with an A idea because the A Team has a better chance of navigating changes that inevitably get thrust upon them.

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