| In a nation full of superstars one has to | | | | natural competitiveness in all of us often |
| wonder why we fail so often as a team. The | | | | leads us to ignore the team and concentrate |
| Olympic Team did not fail because of the | | | | on the individual. The measure of success |
| number of gold medals won or lost. The | | | | becomes the success of the individual rather |
| Olympic Team failed because they were | | | | than the success of the team.Think about how |
| anything but a team.The amazing athletes that | | | | much a team can accomplish when the natural |
| represented the United States in the Olympic | | | | competitiveness in all of us leads us to not |
| Games should be both honored and respected. | | | | compete with our colleagues and team mates, |
| These same Olympians, however, should remind | | | | but compete with other teams, obstacles or |
| us about how we succeed or fail as a team.The | | | | tasks.When we watch a group of small children |
| greatest images of any team, whether it be an | | | | playing together or working together on a |
| Olympic Team or any sports team is not them | | | | project like building a snowman or a |
| holding a medal, a trophy or some other | | | | clubhouse we can learn a lot from them. When |
| symbol of their accomplishment. The greatest | | | | they are working together towards a common |
| images are the camaraderie, the banning | | | | goal with no thoughts of "I" but just of |
| together, the images that exemplify and | | | | working together as a team, it is amazing |
| glorify what it means to be a team.In a | | | | what this group can accomplish.Unfortunately, |
| nation full of some of the most talented men | | | | if you take that same group of children and |
| and women in every field it is somewhat | | | | assemble them 20 years later as adults, that |
| disconcerting that we do not accomplish more | | | | same team would likely be unable to agree on |
| in our individual professions. With so much | | | | how to make a snowball rather than a |
| talent the possibilities for success are | | | | snowman.When we learn as a culture to value |
| nearly boundless.Perhaps it is the talent | | | | teamwork and the success of a team there is |
| itself that is our biggest obstacle as so | | | | no telling what our teams in the business |
| many people try to be everything rather than | | | | world, medical world and sports world will |
| something. Rather than being a cog in a | | | | accomplish. When we value team building |
| highly successful wheel, they try to be the | | | | above star building we may start to truly see |
| wheel.Even in a profession as seemingly | | | | the amazing things we can accomplish.The |
| simple as website designing and marketing, we | | | | Olympic Team did not fail us, we failed the |
| see this same flaw time and time again. | | | | Olympic Team just as we fail team after team |
| Rather than building a team of talented | | | | by not valuing team accomplishments as highly |
| people, each a superstar in his or her own | | | | as we value individual accomplishments.In a |
| area of expertise, every superstar tries to | | | | Nation of the most talented men and women in |
| do it all and in the end accomplishes | | | | every field of business, sport and |
| nothing.Team building is probably the most | | | | entertainment it is only a matter of time |
| important need in any and every business, yet | | | | before this talent bans together and forms |
| team building is one of the most overlooked, | | | | teams that will go down in history for |
| underfunded, undervalued resources.The most | | | | accomplishing more than any individual can |
| successful companies understand the | | | | ever hope to accomplish and then as a nation |
| importance of team building. A successful | | | | we will finally understand the importance of |
| team starts with assembling the most talented | | | | team building.David Casey, SetSitesHigh ( |
| staff and then working with that staff to | | | | works on a team of website designers, |
| foster a team atmosphere and a team mentality | | | | developers, marketers and SEO experts that |
| where the entire team shares in success and | | | | emphasize the team approach to web design and |
| works together to overcome disappointment.The | | | | development. |