Generally, good teams consist of a diverse mix of people, who think, work and do things differently. They may be complete opposites but still get along well. Why? Because there is also some aspect of humanity or values that they share – all of which are, sadly, subjective. They are similar to the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle; individually different pieces, together, making the final outcome a magnificent creation. I personally feel that the term ‘good team’ is a slightly ludicrous ambiguity for what I call a ‘SMART TEAM’. Why again?
Having a diverse set of people would of course create conflict and arguments, but when you share a common goal as a group of smart men and women, you will always collectively find a way through! The key factor of a good team is open communication. Many people tend to remain part of a team simply out of fear, fright or due to the lack of any other option. This means that it always boils down to leadership, to create an atmosphere where all members – or rather, ‘team players’ – are so gelled, that no one is afraid of being humiliated or unvalued in opinion, to speak out confidently, regardless of how sensible or cynical their thoughts are.
In a great team, no voice is unimportant, and we must not forget how the craziest of thoughts might actually spark the reaction for amazing ideas and brainstorming. For instance, it was only recently my friends and I created a website on Wildlife for the Young Computer Scientists competition; but little did people know what really inspired us was, ‘I like to Move It’ from Madagascar, which the two boys in my group sang spontaneously.
What started with perhaps the most hilarious song in the history of animations resulted in a merit award on a national level! However, we cannot put this all in the hands of a proclaimed ‘leader’! A ‘leader’ in this context, could facilitate and push for activities to closely knit together his/her teammates, but it is the duty of all to understand each other and choose to spend more time with any member you feel you may be still new or uncomfortable with.
The best team isn’t necessarily one where all the members have known each other for ages, nor is it a collection of the best keyboardist in the world, best guitarist in the world, and the best possible drummer on Earth, say, in a band! A team would be a comfortable and secure place for all members if mutual respect reigned, be it for one’s abilities, background, religion or cultural diversity. Be open, but otherwise, speak cautiously – one should identify the personalities of the others.
Of course, I’m not saying to think one thing, and say something else – don’t live in lies – so, perhaps feel free to even talk about, discuss and exchange views. This might even help in bonding! A good team must collaborate. This may seem very complicated, but to put it simply, it means working in unison to achieve a common goal. Effective collaboration – understanding your own talents and what YOU can contribute to the team; each role is multilaterally crucial! Most importantly, the team should build a strong, effective strategy that enables problem-solving and conflict-managing wisely.
Creating a shared mission among the team will increase the enthusiasm and interest in accomplishing each role (which, in turn, is the team’s goal), triumphantly. In my eyes, a good team member should be honest, straightforward, and fair-minded, carrying a sense of equity and fairness. Of course a sense of good humor too! Reliability – listen to Bruno Mars, “You can count on me like 1, 2, 3, I’ll be there”! Did you stop and start, or laugh at that? Yes, everybody loves a good laugh, but more so a good laugher!
Finally, the most vital aspect; “A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results. ” – Wade Boggs. No one enjoys working together with a pessimistic person – as our school motto goes, ‘YES WE CAN! ’ There really is no perfect, hard and fast ‘recipe’ for an indomitable team – it is up to all of us to put our team – player modes on, get out of our comfort zones, and go find out! So – what are you waiting for?
