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April 10, 2005
tea, teach, teak, teal, ____, teapoy, tear
... and the missing word is...
Team, yes that's right Team! Wikipedia has this to say about the word team...
A team comprises any group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team.
So I'm thinking I stop calling my team a team and start calling them a group.
But you're their manager, why don't you do something about it...?
...because, and correct me if I'm wrong here, the team ethic isn't something you can "make 'em have". It's intrinsic, you can't learn it, or can you?
There are certain specifications you trip off in an interview because you know it's expected of you:
• I have excellent organisational skills
• I am a good communicator
• I am a team player
It's there, in every job description, "the ability to work as part of a team is an essential criterion for this post". So if you don't have that, why apply?
To be fair, for the most part, my team is a great team. We have to be, we work in a very pressured job, our deadlines are extremely strict (the SysAds have had to drag me screaming from the keyboard before now so that they can take the system down) and, being understaffed, we are all carrying an extra burden. But one squeaky cog in an otherwise finely tuned engine makes the whole vehicle grind and judder all the way to it's destination (if it gets there at all).
I'm sure I shouldn't be venting this here but it's a matter very dear to my heart, it's majorly pissing me off and, if I were to open my mouth in work, I don't think I could be very professional about it.
Bleh! I'm off to Google for "how to turn your squeaky cog into a precisely crafted component."
Posted by lilliebet at April 10, 2005 10:57 AM
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Comments
Your post reminded me of something I doscovered years ago. A 'team' is a group of two or more people with (a) common goal(s) and with mutual trust and respect. There are indeed many more groups than teams. Regards.
Posted by: Homo Insapiens at April 10, 2005 04:40 PM
You're the "team" leader I take it. If you are questioning if the group has a common purpose, perhaps, as you indicate, maybe you need to create a common purpose. An external objective.... then lead.
The longer they remain a group the more you are part of it, not the leader.... But you know... in the end we all need to chill about with this teamwork crap.
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Posted by: Z.Z.B. at April 11, 2005 03:18 AM
Yes I'm the team lead and, yes, we have a common purpose - we all know what that is. What I'm questioning here is how an individual who is supposed to be part of a team can work toward their individual goals and ignore the needs of their team-mates. That's about the person, not the team, nor the team lead.
Teamwork crap? I take it then you're not working in a team environment? Then it probably will sound like crap to you but, unfortunately, I don't have a choice, I have to try and make it work.
Posted by: lilliebet ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.deckertechnology.net/lilliebet/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 11, 2005 07:40 AM