DURING the week, I was going over my notes from a class I was preparing to teach on the importance of teamwork. I really enjoyed the content because I always discover something I missed previously. I am a John Maxwell certified Teacher, Speaker and Coach and use a lot of his content. I am extremely grateful to God for this achievement but would also like to say a very big thank you to Mr. Mohamed from Mohamed’s Enterprise for his support.
Sometimes we don’t say thank you enough to show our appreciation. I was going over the 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork for my presentation and the first was The Law of Significance. One is too small a number to achieve greatness. Throughout human history, whatever the endeavour, great individuals still had teams of people supporting them along the way.

There is a saying I love “Individuals play the game but teams win championships.” My memory went back to 2007 when I put together a team to launch Guyana Fashion Week. I knew I had to get the best team possible because of the magnitude of the event. I was really blessed the second team I put together saw the big picture and understood that the goal is more important than the role. Although I am the founder, I have no problem relinquishing when it is an area of someone else’s strength.
It was never about who was in charge because everyone has strengths and weaknesses. You cannot accomplish anything if you don’t have a team that understands your vision.
“If you think you are the entire picture, you will never see the big picture,” John C. Maxwell said.

Sometimes gathering a team can be easier than growing a team. Everything rises and falls on leadership and leadership is influence. One of my favourite laws of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is the Law of the Lid. Your organisation or company can only perform under your lid. If you are a five, your organisation will be a three or a four. For every team to be effective they need a catalyst; someone who senses things others don’t sense; a ‘make it happen’ person. Characteristics of a Catalytic leader are being: intuitive, communicative, passionate, talented, creative, initiating, responsible, generous, and influential.

Michael Jordan is an example that because of what he did for Chicago Bulls and basketball. It is important for the team leader to make the vision clear to the team because it brings understanding to the team. Purpose is an important element to the vision because it makes sense to the equation. The vision describes where you are going and purpose describes why you are going. It is wise to have measurable goals that keep your vision realistic. The person casting the vision needs to have integrity which brings accountability. Leaders must not be afraid to challenge the team because winners stretch to the challenge and whiners shrink.

The vision must have Passion which brings fuel to the vision. Passion fires up the committed and fries the uncommitted. Passion is what keeps you excited about the big picture. The vision must have strategy because it brings process to the vision.
Vision gives team members direction and confidence. The credibility of a vision is determined by the leader. The acceptance of a vision is determined by timing of its presentation; the value of the vision is determined by the energy and direction it gives; the evaluation of the vision is determined by the commitment level of the people; and the success of the vision is determined by its ownership from both the leader and the people.
Great leaders take the vision from me to we and until that happens, the vision will never be successful. The Law of the Bad Apple is a very interesting law.

Rotten attitudes ruin a team. Good attitudes among players do not guarantee a team’s success, but bad attitudes will certainly guarantee its failure. Attitude is the advanced man of our true self. Its roots are inward but its fruits are outward. It can be our best friend or worst enemy and is more honest and consistent than our words. It is an outward look based upon past experiences. It brings people towards us or repels them and it’s never content until it is expressed. It is the Librarian of our past and speaker of our present and profit of our future. A bad apple will have a negative effect on the team. Attitude is a choice and we are responsible for our own attitudes. Bad attitudes compound faster to good attitude and it has the ability to let or tear down a team.

Many teams are not successful not because of ability but attitude. I am teaching these laws and learning at the same time and looking forward to sharing the stage with one of my main team members John Quelch.
Join us next Sunday as we continue to discuss how teamwork makes the dream work. Send us your experience on working with your team to beyondtherunway1@gmail.com and visit or FB Page as we continue this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.