Why A Team First Mentality

I am always a fan of the team first mentality whether it be in sports or in business. If you think about it, the team first mentality is about looking at your team and viewing it as a living breathing organism. An organism can live in a healthy manner if each of its organs are functioning and contributing to its overall health. If that is not the case, then the organism suffers. Your team like an organism is not healthy if there are people on your team that do not have the shared goal of doing what it takes for the success of everyone.

Each person on your team collectively is far greater than each of the individual contributions alone. A team divided is bound to fail or if success is somehow achieved, it took a far more painful path than necessary. Everyone on a team has a unique skill set to offer and the key is to tie all of that in a synergistic way through a team first mentality.

What does it mean by having a team first mentality?

• It’s about identifying and rallying behind the goals of the team that in turn brings positive benefits to your organization.
• It’s about not only doing you part of a project, but also checking in with your team mates to see if they need assistance with their work.
• It’s about bringing each one of you together closer to the overall goals of the team.
• It’s seeing the success of your teammates as also your success and more importantly for the team.
• It’s about connecting with each other and understanding what each of you can bring to the table.
• It’s not about you rushing to the finish line alone but embracing the journey together as a team.
• It’s about being patient with each other. The patience will lead to a better team solidarity for the long term.
• It’s about enhancing the relationship with each other to understand each other as a person. Each of you have a unique life story. Take the time to get to know each other.
• It’s about sharing knowledge, tips, and tools to empower everyone on the team.
• It’s about being transparent with each other on when things are going good or bad.

I’ve worked on many teams and in many different industries. I can tell you that a project’s journey is always more satisfying when there is a team first mentality. It enables a team to be more resilient and be able to better manage challenges for the long term. Also, the feeling of winning as a team is more celebratory than just doing it alone. Solving business problems require a team effort and each of us can support that by having a team first mentality.

Image courtesy of You X Ventures.