Creating Teams - Discipleship 180

We were created for community. Every person on earth enjoys being connected to and with others. Depending on the cultural context, some people call these connections communities, others call them tribes and some may refer to them as teams.

I believe that the only way to find success in life is to pursue a collective goal in community, or in others words, to work together as a team.

Whether you are referring to a family unit, a leadership grouping, a school setting or a workplace environment, each of these contexts provides the opportunity to work collaboratively as a team. The challenge in working together is knowing how to build or create a team. Here are three things I'm learning about building teams:

1. Everyone has value. Whether you are referring to the youngest person in a family, or the most senior member of a work place, everyone has value. The challenge in creating a team is to identify and establish a culture of value and appreciation so that every member of the community feels like they belong. Without a sense of connectedness or value, the gathered group of individuals will never be willing to work together and the quest to become a team will fail.

2. Teams are well rounded. If your team doesn't include a diverse group of individuals, it will not function well. Some people might say that we are drawn to individuals who are like us, while others might suggest the complete opposite. Regardless of who we are naturally drawn to, we must be intentional about pursuing diversity and embracing our differences. I'm not suggesting to employ a culture of tolerance, but I am suggesting we pursue a culture of acceptance. Acceptance doesn't always been agreement, but a willingness to honor one another for opinions and values while choosing to limit seasons where these things clash with one another.

3. The formation of a team is never complete. This may seem like a downer to some of us. The truth of the matter is that no matter what level of health your team might be experiencing, the culture of team must be continually cultivated and tended to or it will otherwise begin to erode. The challenge for leaders, parents and others is to find ways to keep the pursuit of this team oriented collaborative culture fresh. Read culture, read books, observe others interacting with one another and become a student of collaborative learning and experiences.

These are the top three things I'm learning about creating teams. What do you think?