Often teams face challenges simply because no one has taken the time to think about the team and what it needs to be strong.
Like anything in life, teams need nurturing, support, reflection, revision, and refinement.
We're all part of multiple teams. Some of those teams may be stronger than others. No matter how strong or how needy a team is, all teams require care, attention, and evolution.
I was thinking about this when I realized a team member was distanced from a team activity. I wondered why. Did the person receive an invitation? Did the person feel welcome? Was the event scheduled in a way that included staff with her schedule, priorities, or interests? I'm not sure, but as I thought about it, it seemed to me that the team member was left out for some reason, and that this didn't feel right to the individual.
Teams occur at home, in the neighborhood, with extended family, at work, and in the community. We can't play a significant role on every team. Instead we can play strong roles in some arenas while we probably take a back seat in other spheres. No one can do it all or be it all.
We all have work to do to be a good team member and to foster successful collaboration, support, and teamwork with the teams we are apart of. This is a good consideration, one I'll think about as I work with my classroom, grade-level, and home team tomorrow. Onward.
