Expand

So we’re here. The last letter: ‘E'. That’s the word for expand. Before we even get into it, let’s make one thing about expansion clear. You can’t expand alone. Read that again. You can not, under any circumstances, expand your reach alone.You need a team. That’s what we want to look at right now. So let’s start.

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Team work is the ability to work together towards a common vision. The first part of that sentence calls teamwork an ability. And like all abilities it needs to be developed and worked on a regular basis. Not many people are used to the idea of willingly sacrificing their personal ego on behalf of being part of a team. Don’t forget what started with: You can’t expand alone. Working as a team also enables individuals to empower themselves and to increase benefits from cooperative work engaged on as a group.

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One of the best parts about teamwork is that it increases your productivity and reduces your workload. Everyone has a limit. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. It’s a fact of life that no one can do everything at a 100% performance rate 24/7. Earlier we mentioned Michael Jordan and Cristiano Ronaldo. As amazing as they are at basketball and soccer they can’t do everything themselves. They are where they are because of the people in their team.

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Poor team building and planning sessions bring disillusionment, low morale and negative motivation of the entire organization. They fail to deliver the results expected. Organizations flounder with little strategic direction. Everyone works hard, but, usually on the wrong tasks and goals. Employees take baby steps toward accomplishing key action items and nothing important is finished (Husain, 2011).

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The flip side of things is that being part of a bad team can ruin your career, your mental health and your relationships with other people. Jesus, as great a man He is, chose twelve disciples among them was Judas. Jesus had twelve; one of them stabbed him in the back. That’s the danger of being part of a team. If it’s not done well it will not only take everything from you. It will leave you drained and ruined. So choose your team wisely. Let’s look at how to do that. Now this is just my advice; you might discover something better.

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The first rule in choosing a team is understanding why you need one in the first place. Creating a team without a clear picture in mind will end in disaster. This is where your big dream comes in. You already know what you want to do for the rest of your life. You know what goals you want to accomplish. Now you need to ask a few questions:

·??????What are your weaknesses?

·??????What areas will you need help?

·??????Are you interested in only accomplishing goals or are you invested in a long term journey?

·??????What kind of person won’t you like to have in your team?

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These questions are all about setting the tone. They’re a two types of teams. Functional teams: They exist as shadow in the background, they are always there but not very visible, yet most essential to run day to day operations of the organization. Project teams: On the other hand project teams are different animals’ altogether. They are put together to execute certain tasks, reach certain goals or accomplish a vision in a time bound manner. Once the target is achieved, these teams are in most cases disbanded and team members go back to their routine tasks.

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Those questions will help you know which type you need. It’s essential to be honest with yourself. You don’t need 'yes-men' who agree with everything you say just to make you feel better. You will never grow in a team like that. Never. You need people to be honest with you, whether they agree or not, and to support you regardless.

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So now let’s talk about how to expand your horizons far beyond what you thought possible. The first step after clarifying your vision and choosing those who will help you achieve it; is to share your vision. Share your vision; make it as simple and clear as possible; and believe that your team will get you there. No one wants to work with anyone who doesn’t have a clear, simple vision and who doesn’t truly care and believe in them.Everyone loves working with people who appreciate their work. Everyone wants to work in an environment where they clearly know their role and purpose.

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A team is a formal group of members who interact at a high level and work together intensely to achieve a common group goal. When teams are effective, they draw on the abilities and experiences of their members to accomplish things that could not be achieved by individuals working separately or by other kinds of work group (Jones et al, 2008)

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The last point in to make is this: add value to your team. John C Maxwell asserted “Adding value to others adds value to you.” When I say value I don’t mean salary or payments you give your team for their time and effort. I mean taking the time to get to know them as individuals. Empathize with them when they are down and celebrate with them when they succeed. Take the time to constantly appreciate the work they put in. Be genuinely interested in them. That’s how you add value to them. Love is the best way of adding value.

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And now we’ve come to the end. I hope this was helpful to you. Now the only thing left is to go out and get started.