I have been studying in Ohio, where has a professional basketball team named Cleveland Cavaliers. Rather than be overwhelmed by their outstanding athletic skills, I am more impressed by their team motto --- One for All and All for One. Not until I started to work on various course projects during my graduate study did I realize the underlying spirit of that sentence, which opened another window in perspective of team work.

I used to be a solo fighter at undergrad school because I had confidence and worked out all sorts of issues, which made me more rely on myself, instead of looking around for help. After beginning my study in the state, I saw things change. The increase of workload and difficulties on the projects, which still could be done individually, gave me a self-reflection regarding the way I used to figure things out. Working solo did not actually build up my strength but lower the efficiency and productivity. I could be a skilled individual working by my own but on the flip side I lost the sense of collaboration and cooperation as a team. In addition, people have the shortfalls beyond their limitations and knowledge and cannot expect achievement within their own capabilities. That’s why we need team work nowadays so urgently. Team members could use their strengths to make the other’s weakness. A good example was that once a huge project required lots of inputs from engineering, marketing and financing aspects. I am more into the fiancé and analytical side with less stronger skill in engineering. A good part was one of the teammates is an engineering geek. With combined efforts, the deliverables of the project turned out to be a great success. Looking back, I would not have had such an attainment by working alone.

Especially right now in the business world, silos would not bring more profits and create more margins for companies, instead they would hold the organizations back. Each employee should be a good team player so as to form the synergy within the department and even across different departments. I am not and do not want to be a solo fighter anymore. I want to maximize my own capability for the goods of the team, as a result the team would, in return, enhance my personal professionalism. That’s the meaning of “One for all and All for One”.

GOAWAYCOMEBACK COMMENTS:

TEAM means Together Everyone Achieves More! Actually it is another version of “ One for all and All for One! “ It is easy to be able yourself, but it’s harder to enable others, that’s why the market pays more to enable than able! Just think about it!