The other day I was in a Starbucks looking for a place to sit down and finally chose a chair and table next to a group of guys meeting together. Over the course of the next several minutes I was close enough to these guys to overhear much of their conversation.
It was obvious that this was a team at work. All guys (not that women can't be team members!), ranging in age from the mid-20s to the mid-50s, heads bent together in deep conversation. I believe it was probably a church staff handing issues of the church that had stacked up in the days previous. I could tell they loved being together and they reveled in the chance to be linked together with the others in this cause.
Something in me tugged at this scene. I'm so starved for this kind of team dynamic I almost pulled my chair up and asked if I could pretend I belonged to them. I think one of the reasons I'm on this earth is to build teams, motivate them, inspire them and direct their activity and effort toward a common goal. So seeing these guys walking this out really touched me.
In Linchpin, Seth says that often times "teamwork" is the word bosses and coaches and teachers use when they actually mean, "Do what I say." A true sense of team is the awareness that together we can do more than we can if we tried to do things alone instead of "I need a team to do this stuff for me."
I've had the honor to work with some awesome people in my life. The team I had the chance to lead most recently really understood who they were and how they fit into the bigger picture. Bob, Emily, Dan, Judy, Betty, and Martha were committed to tearing down silos and keeping them down. They cared for each other, they chipped in and helped each other, they understood that we were all pulling on the same rope. Their "get 'er done" spirit was a source of constant encouragement to me.
When you step up to lead a team remember the teachings of Jesus. Your teammates aren't there for you, to achieve your goals and plans. You are there for them. To empower, to support and to serve.
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