Whenever the term team building is mentioned, understandably many people think of sports teams and how teamwork is important for success. This is absolutely true, but it is not just in sporting arenas that working as a team brings results. In the world of business it is critical, and it is no secret that those companies which have invested in team building seem to be the ones that get the greatest results.
Whilst sport and business are two prime examples of where effective team building is essential, there are many others. Non-profit organisations, charities, state and federal departments, local clubs, hobby groups, in fact any scenario where results depend upon several people all contributing, is one where teamwork is necessary, and where team building will bring greater success.
You do not need to be a self-help guru to understand why this is the case. In any situation where the end result is achieved from the cumulative efforts of each individual it is patently obvious that if they are working together as a team, striving for the same goal, and supporting each other their achievements are going to be greater than if each person is simply doing their own thing.
Aristotle hit the nail on the head when he coined the phrase, ‘The whole is greater than the sum of the parts’. What he meant by that is that the collective effort and ultimately the combined result is greater than if we take each individual’s contribution and added them separately.