The Power Of The Team
Sep 26 2010
As I watch my son play soccer, I think to myself how great it is that he is part of a team. I watch him and his other 7 to 8 year old buddies communicate with each other on the field and off. There’s a neat camaraderie and chemistry they have even at this young age. They can be intensely focused on winning but realize that you win some, you lose some, you get some goals, you totally choke and miss some goals, and you are still a team. The team skills are something I see him picking up organically because although I know I could try to explain to him the importance of playing certain positions, playing to your strengths, working with others on a team, etc. he would never really get it unless he experienced it. He doesn’t know that he’s already learning valuable life lessons on the field and when he hangs out with those same buddies off the field. Right now their team seems to work really well together and they win most of their games, which is good because they enjoy it and it motivates them to continue. I think those people who played team sports growing up or were in groups like the military have an advantage when starting businesses or working on teams that are creating innovative products because working with other people can be the most enjoyable and yet sometimes the most emotionally draining experience you can have. Knowing how to ride the waves of your own and others humanity can be the difference between success and failure in an endeavor or a work place.
My daughter seems to prefer swimming which is a more individual sport but if she gets good enough, she might want to join a swim team. I played team sports at various times during my elementary/junior high school years (track, bowling, basketball) and then later in junior high and college I rode horses competitively as part of a team. I also participated in some college intramural sports and company sports teams…mostly softball, but I wish I had done more. I don’t really remember most of the people on those teams, but I do remember a few that made strong impressions on me based on their personalities and talents.
As the saying goes: “There is no “I” in Team.” Even investors in the high tech entrepreneurial world will say they would rather invest in an A Team with a B idea than a B Team with an A idea because the A Team has a better chance of navigating changes that inevitably get thrust upon them.
Author: Aruni | Filed under: competition, entrepreneur, parenting | Tags: A Team, soccer, swimming, team sports | 5 Comments »
I’m glad that your son is having a great experience with teams sports. Working on a team truly is an important lesson to learn.
However, not everyone’s experience of team is the same. A true team environment is necessary. While my experience of team sports as a child were quite positive, my son’s … not so much. Some kids tend to be quite competitive on teams. It’s a win all mentality with anyone not quite “expert” being ignored or worse ridiculed.
My son had too many bad experiences with soccer and baseball and eventually he just refused to have anything to do with any sport involving a team. Like your daughter he prefers individual achievement. He’s in Tae Kwon Do and spend part of his summer in golf camp. He’d rather compete against himself.
Hi Khurt – You are so right…it does depend on the team. On my son’s soccer team there are a couple of players not as ‘expert’ as the others but the coaches and the other players don’t give them a hard time. They make them feel included. They are afterall only 8 and if you can’t have fun, what’s the point. My son happens to be one of the kids who has a knack for soccer, but we teach him to be considerate and despite having a couple of less than ‘expert’ players, their team consistently beats other teams even when the non-experts play.
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I didn’t play team sports as a kid, mostly due to lack of athletic ability. 🙂 I wish I had.
Really, clubs in college was where I learned to work in teams. During the first year or so of being active in clubs, I really had to change how I communicated and operated to be more team-oriented. I had to learn to look at things from other people’s perspective. Overtime, I really loved working in teams and that’s a big reason I decided on my current job in management consulting.
My roommate is laughing at me as I type because now, I turn just about everything into a team project, setting up for a BBQ, planning a vacation, choosing a new bathing suit . . .
I can still remember freshman year in college when I disliked group work.
Now, I realize the most important things in life and the largest goals all involve teamwork. It’s great that your kids are able to learn about teamwork early on.
Hi Yvette – That’s great. I think that most great things are done by people working on teams and not alone. Even the great inventors of our time had support staff, friends, or family nearby.