I remember a time in my professional career as an educator when I was going it alone--I had not experienced teamwork in any substantial way in my life, and with a mind full of ideas, I tried to make those ideas come to fruition by myself. Of course, as so many know, we rarely can do the good work possible by ourselves as the best possible work is mainly the result of awesome teamwork.
As a mom, my sons had the good fortune of being part of multiple, mostly sports teams. I watched the amazing learning they gained by being part of those teams. I also watched the critical and positive role coaches played as part of those teams. In addition, in the world of education, the focus on teamwork became greater for educators and students alike, and as I began to embed a focus on teamwork into my work as a teacher and mom, I noticed the positive result of that change. That's why I am so committed to the role of teamwork in any endeavor I am involved in. Yet, I don't think we are at a point in the culture where teamwork is quickly embraced or understood--in many ways the United States' culture of "Live free or die" persists, and this persistant attitude, in many ways, obstructs our ability to reach the great potential we hold as a people.
While independence has a positive place in our mindsets and work, teamwork is equally or more important. How can we better act as positive team members and how can we promote better teamwork in every aspect of our lives? What promise does this teamwork hold? In the days ahead, I want to think more about this and how teamwork can empower who we are and what we do together.