Maybe I’m still on my Olympic kick, but I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of teams and how many of the most powerful teams are often not formally a team. Watching the Olympics you often see the athletes thanking their team for getting them to where they were able to achieve greatness in their sport. I loved when the athletes would refer to their husband or wife as part of the team that got them where they were trying to go.
While much has been said about the formal teams that make up your workplace, I think it’s just as important to think about the team of people that help make you successful. This certainly should include the family members who support and sustain your efforts even if all their offer is a break from the rigors of your job. When my wife and kids are away, my work suffers. I do much better at my job when I’m home at 5 PM spending time with my wife and kids. That mental break is incredibly valuable.
A lot of people like to slam social media as a waste of time. While it can be, I’m always amazed at the team of people that stand behind me on social media and make me better. They educate me on things that matter. They support me when life is challenging. They inspire me to be more than I am today. My friends on social media aren’t formally a team, but they informally make my life so much better.
I could keep going, but those are a few examples of the informal teams we have and the way they can take us to higher levels in our careers.
As usual, Oprah is right. There’s a real power in surrounding ourselves with informal teams that take us to a higher level. Think about the informal teams in your life and be sure to thank them for their help.
