The Power Of "We" by Suzanne Scheideker Cook
“Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
Do you secretly groan when you are chosen to be part of a team to complete a project at school or work? If you answered yes, do you see yourself in one or more of the following statements?
I can work more efficiently and effectively on my own.
If I work with a team, there is a much greater chance that we will miss the deadline than if I do the project alone.
My work is always excellent.
If I encounter a problem with the project, I am a strong problem solver and can figure it out on my own.
Research on being part of a team has the following benefits:
Teams have a much stronger chance of meeting deadlines than those working on their own because of the cooperation created by the members’ collaboration.
Effective teams brainstorm when they encounter problems which lead to more potential solutions.
Because teams have considered different perspectives, work performed by teams is usually much more effective than taking the “lone wolf” approach.
Your personal challenge is to write down the pros and cons of being part of a team versus the “lone wolf” approach if you have been assigned a complicated project that has a tight deadline. After you do this, remember the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
