The Power of Team
One of the traditions of Memorial Day weekend is the Indianapolis 500. Now 109 years old, the 500 has long been known as the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” That could easily be adjusted to the “Greatest Spectacle in Sports.” Where else do over 350,000 people gather to observe three hours of adrenaline-laced excitement?
I’ve been privileged to attend the event twice in the past few years – both times courtesy of my race-happy daughter, Jen.
We had a ball sharing all of the pre-race pageantry. And then, when those cars came roaring down that front straightway under the green flag, well, you simply have to be there to experience the roar of the crowd and the sheer speed.
In light of my newfound love of the 500, I’ve also been binging on the Netflix documentary “100 Days to Indy.” And though the racing is certainly exciting, what fascinates me the most about the Indy 500 is what happens behind the scenes. How each team works for months toward the goal of getting its car and driver across the finish line first.
From the owners who finance the car to the engineers who design the car to the mechanics who build the car to the pit crews that service the car to the driver who pilots the car, it really is a team effort.
To quote Josef Newgarden, who whooped for joy after winning the 2023 race, “It took all 63 of us to make this happen! What a team effort!”
Lessons for Teams
So, what are some of the lessons that I carry away from observing race teams at Indy?
Teamwork is everything. No one wins by going it alone.
Mediocre or average just isn’t good enough. Good teams are committed to excellence and challenge each other toward that end.
Striving for peak performance is exhausting, exhilarating, and rewarding.
Continual practice, training, correction, and reinforcement makes each team member more effective.
Feedback and communication are critical to getting the absolute best out of your team.
Knowing the role you play (and don’t play) allows both you and others to make the biggest impact.
Mutual trust is essential. This will involve open dialogue and conflict management, which often occur in high-pressure situations.
Results matter. At the end of the day, success is measured by how well the team performed and where the car placed.
Who's on Your Team?
As with the Indy 500, so it is with other arenas. Although it may be possible to pursue a dream or run a church, business, or organization single-handedly, it is certainly not the most efficient or effective method of operation.
In I Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul compares the Church to the human body, with different parts that are specialized to perform different functions. “Our bodies don't have just one part. They have many parts. Suppose a foot says, “I'm not a hand, and so I'm not part of the body.” Wouldn't the foot still belong to the body? Or suppose an ear says, “I'm not an eye, and so I'm not part of the body.” Wouldn't the ear still belong to the body? 17 If our bodies were only an eye, we couldn't hear a thing. And if they were only an ear, we couldn't smell a thing.” (Cor. 12: 14-17)
Paul’s point is clear. It takes a team to realize success.
To be sure this is true organizationally. Lone wolf leaders typically have limited results because there’s no one to challenge them... or to inspire them... or to support them.
However, this is also true personally. Successful discipleship is not only a function of individual effort but also community involvement and investment. We really do need one another.
This being the case, don’t try to fulfill your dream or run your church, ministry, or business single-handedly. Not only will you exhaust yourself and end up with limited results. You will also forfeit the creativity, skills, encouragement, and success that come when you partner with others.
So, do you have a team? If not, why don’t you ask God to bring you some other individuals who can help you run the race successfully? There are gifted folks out there who would love to partner with you.
Look for those who will encourage your progress, identify your blind spots, challenge your missteps, and complement your skill set.
And, if you already are privileged to have a team why not assess its effectiveness by running it through the Indy grid noted above? Those principles can serve you well. Who knows? You might just end up in Victory Lane.
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