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Teamwork starts at lowest levels
Posted 8/2/2012 Updated 8/2/2012
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Commentary by Stephen Day
65th Civil Engineer Squadron
8/2/2012 - LAJES FIELD, Azores -- "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success"- Henry Ford.
This statement is as true today as when Henry Ford stated it. Long ago we realized that together we can accomplish more than we can by ourselves. That was the beginning of teamwork. However, teamwork is not easily created. People have written about teamwork for centuries, how to create it, how to sustain it. But true teamwork in many ways is still elusive.
Teamwork starts at the lowest levels. It is all about individuals doing their part. Everyone from the commander to the airman basic has a role to play. It is ironic that for good teamwork, you need great individuals. Each individual has a part to play. Sometimes it is a major role that is seen by everyone, other times it is a role that is behind the scenes where, if done properly, no one will see the work done. But both roles are essential and just as important to accomplishing the mission.
The biggest challenge to a team is trust. Trust in the other members of your team and trust in your leaders. If you trust your teammates, then everyone will move in the same direction. However, if there is distrust then the team will flounder, as some tasks are repeated or double checked.
The best way I know to gain the trust of your coworkers is to get to know them, spend time with them on and off duty and ensure they participate in the decision'making processes of the team. Once you get to know someone, you will learn the individual strengths and weaknesses, which will strengthen the team.
This is especially difficult here at Lajes. Our Portuguese civilian employees are constantly adjusting to new team members. Some military and U.S. civilian personnel are here for 15 months, then move on. Others are here for two years typically with a deployment thrown in the middle. By the time they get to know someone they are gone and need to start over again.
Over time this can lead to a mentality of not wanting to know those members of the team since they leave so frequently. This is a mentality we need to fight. It is extremely important for the U.S. personnel to get to know each other and their Portuguese team members if Lajes is going to effectively execute the mission.
Teamwork starts at the ground level. With every "A"irman doing their job, knowing the other team members Portuguese civilian, U.S. civilian or military.
It is vital that we get to know those team members and build strong relationships so we can complete the mission. |
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