Teamwork To Make the Dream Work

All throughout our lives, we are taught to be independent. Even in our early toddler years, our parents and teachers teach us how to do things on our own. This stage of independence is very first seen when babies begin to hold bottles on their own. As we grow, this independence and desire to do things on our own grows rapidly. The older we get, this dependence on ourselves is a great thing because it ensures that things are don't the way we want them to be done. Unfortunately, too much independence can become somewhat of a curse more than a blessing. In grade school, college, and any career, there will come a time when teamwork is needed. If we become TOO dependent on ourselves, teamwork will feel more like a hassle rather than a means to get work done more efficiently. Although we may want things done our way, it is important to calmly voice our opinions to the team and find a compromise so that everyone is pleased. As future educators, it is imperative that we understand the importance of teamwork so that we may efficiently transfer this strategy to our students. A nice way to explain teamwork is to think of each team member as a puzzle piece; the puzzle cannot be complete if all of the pieces do not effectively work together. We must keep in mind that for us and our students alike, Teamwork truly does make the dream work!!

Check out this great article by SUCCESS Magazine over John Maxwell's book, The Miracle of Teamwork here.