Teams

Growing up I always wanted to be on championship teams. My most fervent prayers as a kid were for my baseball, basketball and football teams to win the championships. I remember time and time again begging God that our team would win it all. I especially remember one year praying for my baseball team and begging God for a miracle when the song “All I Need Is a Miracle” by Mike and the Mechanics was on the radio. Our team didn’t win that year.

I’m not sure what it reveals about my character, but I never desired to be the star on any team. I did desire to play a role and be an important element in a team’s success. I desired to make a difference and matter, while enjoying the contributions of other members.

The desire to be on a winning team remains in me. It is incredibly satisfying to be a part of success where you contribute your talents and enjoy the gifts and talents of others. At the same time, I think teams are so difficult to achieve. Our ego gets in the way. We can easily start thinking more about our contributions or our needs rather than the good of the whole team.

I’m not sure I have anything to offer on the mechanics of how a team works. But I do know no solo effort can ever be as satisfying as a team effort. It feels good to achieve results, but it is always better sharing victories than achieving them alone.

Tonight I got to witness a great team effort by our small groups team. People came together, worked hard and created a great environment. Winning feels good. Winning with others feels better.

What great experiences have you had working on a team? What do you think is the secret to creating a great team effort?