Independence vs. Teamwork: It takes a leader to be a team player

I can’t believe half the year has past and it’s already time to celebrate the 4th of July—Independence Day here in the U.S. This holiday conjures up the idea of rugged individuals going lone wolf to stand up for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Well, not so fast. Getting the Declaration of Independence drafted, discussed, revised, voted upon, presented and ratified took a lot of teamwork. As if getting folks on the same page weren’t already like herding cats, the logistics of doing so long distance, without benefit of text, email, Internet, mobile phones or even faxes was daunting. And yet, they got ’er done!

The logistics of a corporate relocation can seem equally overwhelming. The details of mapping, scheduling, logistics and staging, organizing, coordinating and communicating can be a house of cards when not properly strategized and managed. One overlooked detail and whammo, it all goes kerflooey.

One essential key to making it all work is teamwork—everyone working together like a well-oiled machine. Sometimes it’s hard to have a bunch of Type A leaders operating in a team dynamic. So, I got with the C-move Dream Team to put together some teamwork tips to help everyone bring their A game.

• Prepare. Participate in pre-move meetings to have a clear view of what your role is, how the plan will work and to communicate Q & A’s.


• Pack Your Patience. Decisions by committee can seem excruciatingly slow, but having your team members poised to pull together all the puzzle pieces means you can hit the ground running. Go slow to move fast.


• Play Well with Others. Allow time to incorporate teamwork into the equation rather than making a quick independent decision absent the facts. Jackrabbit starts and lone wolf decisions result in errors that eat time and budget.


• Never Assume. Check and recheck. Something will inevitably try to slip through the cracks. Make sure the team has a safety net in place. To err is human; to prevent a costly slip up is divine.

It takes a leader to be a good team player. Take the time necessary to allow the team to gather facts, provide insight, and thoughtfully weigh various scenarios. Get the full picture for informed decision-making. Play as a team and you will win as a team.