“Coming together is a beginning, 
staying together is progress, 
and working together is success.” 
– Henry Ford

It has long been said that there is no “I” in the word TEAM. This is true. Some have also pointed out that the word TEAM is actually an acronym: Together Everyone Achieves More. In my experience, this has been proven to be true, as well. The importance of collaboration has been demonstrated time and time again. Professional basketball offers us a perfect example.

There have been many exceptional professional players who have not experienced the success of a NBA championship. In the game of basketball, a cohesive team will defeat a team of gifted individual athletes more often than not. When Michael Jordan was scoring 50 points per game for the Chicago Bulls, the team often came up short at the end of the season. When Jordan shared the burden of leadership with his teammates, lowering his average points per game, but increasing the number of assists per game, the Bulls enjoyed several championship seasons. Jordan acknowledged this himself when he said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”

Of course, teamwork is critical in other sports, as well. Babe Ruth once said, “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”

Collaboration has also proven to be critical to success in the workplace. Sadly, some workers are more concerned about receiving recognition for the work they do individually, rather than working as a team with colleagues. President Harry Truman pointed out, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Teamwork is essential to overall success. 

I have long been impressed with the African proverb which states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Amy Poehler is a comedian, actor, and writer probably best known for her seven years on Saturday Night Live. There is no doubt that she learned the critical need for collaboration working with such a talented cast. She offers a piece of wisdom which can help us all. She said, “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”

With each passing day, I am finding this advice to be increasingly beneficial. Working collaboratively with others can be transforming.