How To Spell "Team"

We’ve all heard the phrase “There’s no ‘I’ in team.”  Nothing could be further from the truth.  There is a whole bunch of “I’s” in a team, and as a leader you will need to keep this in mind.  You succeed or fail as a team.  Each member of the team needs to understand this at some level.  And as a leader, you need to grasp the reality that success will be viewed as a group triumph, but failure ultimately rests on your shoulders.  That will be tough on your ego.  Suck it up.  You need to be able to share the glory and take the blame. 

This basic behavior is one of the elements that lies at the heart of building a loyal team.  It demonstrates that you have the team members’ backs and will foster a sense of trust and solidarity among the individuals.  It should also help to develop an open environment in which members see themselves as a valued part of something larger. Importantly, this approach reduces stress by helping to distribute it evenly.  It also lets the team know, hopefully subtly, that you are the lead.


This approach to teamwork can also empower the team in an important way. You cannot always be hands-on involved in your team’s work. You can provide guidance and direction, but ultimately the team needs to get the job done.  A good team will understand what you want to accomplish and how to do that.  In short, they will make the same decision that you would.

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