WHERE DO I FIT INTO TEAMWORK?
I have added some new training material and options to my company. The most recent curriculum I added was a session on teamwork. It is not the usual “rah rah” training. This training focuses on what YOU can do to be a better member of the team. For example, instead of complaining that your co-workers doesn’t “pull their share” or “spends hours on personal calls”, why not spend that same time deciding what you can do differently.
At the very beginning of the training, the very first slide I put on the projector shows a school bus full of children, with a sign that says “your children are on this bus” and the bus driver on a cell phone. The caption reads “would you want your children riding in this bus”. Well, of course you would not. Then the next slide appears. It is a picture of a mom in a minivan with her children in the back. The caption reads “so, what is the difference”.
The course is designed to help the participants think about their role as a member of the team and avoid spending time worrying about others. Really, don’t we spend a lot of time worrying about others? Yes, we do.
Also, during the training I constantly mention that we should first think about what WE can do differently to avoid the situation again. I also mention that if the participants are sitting through training going “I hope my co-worker is listening to this” then, well, they are just not getting it.
So, the next time you want to complain about someone, take a moment to think about what you may have done differently.