Are Teams Important?

I knew the Lord liked sports, so a somewhat sport-related question came to mind.

“Speaking about sports and teams: Lord, how important are business teams?”

“Of course, teams are important. My first attempt at teams was not that successful. Remember the Tower of Babel and then Sedom and Gemorah? I wanted the people to be unified, but they joined together for all the wrong reasons. My subsequent effort with the twelve tribes started rough, especially with Joseph and how he interacted with his brothers. However, after Egypt, the former slaves worked very well together. The twelve tribes were organized by Moses, under my charge, to march in a certain order and for each team to have a specialized role to help benefit the entire Israelite nation.”

The Lord pointed to an image on the wall. It was a photo labeled the Israelites in the desert and took up half the wall. Normally the Lord used self-explanatory pictures, but I was happy he had labeled this one. Sometimes a photo can be worth a million words but seeing so many people in this one shot was confusing. The photo started showing more labels. Each tribe had their own flag, and they were positioned in a strategic manner around what was labeled the Holy Ark.

“Is that the Holy Ark?” I exclaimed.

“Yes, Sam, that is what it looked like. The Indiana Jones movie had a great depiction…partly because I worked on the set design team. But I’m not going to tell you where the real one can be found. The only one who knew besides me was the actor Leonard Nimoy. When he was doing the In Search of TV series, he was so close that I decided to show him where it was on the condition he would not tell anyone else. He held up his side of the bargain.”

Up on a screen popped up a photo of Leonard Nimoy. Nimoy signed it “To God…thank you for being my ‘In Search Of’ partner – Leonard Nimoy.”  It was a great photo. I just imagined the great autograph book the Lord must have.

The Lord continued his explanation of teams. “The Israelites were great in the desert. They worked as a team. They did not have any fancy seminars or retreats. They listened to what I had told Moses. Simple, yet effective. It was I like the model suggested thousands of years later by psychologist Bruce Tuckman’s model from the 1960’s. He proposed how groups developed through four phases- form, storm, norm, and perform. The Israelites took years to form and only really started forming as tribes in the desert. Maybe their time as slaves helped them learn the pains of being forced to undertake work and helped them understand how to work effectively to survive. During a time of conflict, they were able to galvanize- such as times when they were attacked or when they were conquering the Promised Land.”

“The storm phase occurred with all the crises the Israelites faced in the desert. From complaining about water and food, to complaining about Moses and even me, they started galvanizing around all their complaints and concerns. It was like the bickering that occurs in many workplaces. It was only with the death of Moses and the transfer of power did the Israelites start acting more like a nation rather than acts of disobedience. That is why the old generation had to die out and a new generation was needed. That is like many organizations where a new group of employees can transform the workplace and possibly create stronger teams.”

As expected, “#3 Norming” popped up.

“Sam, in the norming phase consensus develops around who the leader might be and clarity forms around the role of individual members. During this phase interpersonal differences were resolved, and the Israelites developed a sense of cohesion and unity. It was so great to watch. Many consultants would have thought the Israelites would have collapsed when Moses passed, but the Israelites showed great courage and resolve to unite. They became a unified people.”

Like clockwork, a drum roll ushered in “#4 Performing.”

“It was at the banks of the Jordan River when the Israelites were about to attack Jericho that they finally proved they could put the right teams together to achieve their goal, and what a goal that was- entering and then conquering the Promised Land.”

The Lord gestured at the wall again and in the place of the photo of the Israelites was a picture of the fertile promised land from years ago labeled then and right next to it was a picture of Israel now in all its glory. The Lord was beaming with pride.

The Lord looked right into my eyes and continued, “Of course there was teamwork at various points in the Bible for both good and bad. For example, there was teamwork in building the Golden Calf. After that disaster, the next big team project was building the Tabernacle. The key is having the right vision that can unify. Many might follow the wrong path, but even more would follow the right path if they know the possible beneficial outcome. I have seen so many failed fundraising efforts because of conflicting views and agendas, but with the Tabernacle, they worked like a lean mean fighting machine.”

The Lord continued. “The goal of holiness is not individual holiness as practiced by some monks who want to become one with me, but through societal holiness. So much of the prayer book and the story of the Israelites is focused on the collective whole rather than the individual.  Instead of asking for constant help from me for individual needs, my people ask for assistance from the entire community. Those are the prayers I really like to hear. Not ‘can I win the lottery,’ but ‘can you help a group of people.’  I liken it to establishing a corporate culture that promotes the entire culture and if a team can accomplish that, great.”

“What does it mean to be a true team and how can managers accomplish that. It sounds really good. But if it was that simple everyone could do it right?  And it took the Israelites a generation to finally gel.”

The Lord smacked his hands together. I wasn’t sure if that was to emphasize a point or get my attention. Maybe it was both?

“Teams are a community. The best example of a community can be found in Exodus 35:1. It starts with ..”[A]nd Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel…”  Moses brought all the people together. Even when leaving Egypt, not everyone was on the same page. They had different ideas and agendas. Remember some wanted to turn back. Others built the Golden Calf. There was dissention and angst across the board. But in the end, Moses was able to finally get the people together to build a tabernacle for me. Finally, they were on the same page. Do you know how long that took Sam?”

I did not know the exact time but assumed that if the Lord was asking me- he must have known the answer, and it was a rhetorical question.

“Way too long. But when they finally clicked…wow. It was great. The key was how people acted when their hearts stirred them. For example, Exodus 35:29 is a perfect example of how I wrote in my book that: The children of Israel brought a freewill offering unto the Lord; every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which the Lord had commanded Moses to be made.”  They brought so much that in Exodus 36:5 I had to tell them to stop. They just kept on giving and giving. The people were aglow with holy enthusiasm. They were happy to give. Have you ever seen that in a workplace Sam?”

While I had significant experience with dissatisfied employees, it‘s so much harder to find examples of employees who “whistle while they work” as famously sung by the seven dwarfs in Snow White. However, I know several companies who have dedicated employees. Normally these are family businesses or smaller businesses.

“Sam, you also see it in many start-ups, non-profit organizations, and companies that are working to solve a problem such as a biotech company. They are passionate and dedicated to achieving a similar goal. They are working together. They have a common goal and mission. That is what should drive an ideal team. Do you know what they wrote on the plate of the Holy Crown?  ‘Holy to the Lord!’ (Exodus 29:30) They dedicated it to me. Yes, I asked for it, but when they were done, they wanted to dedicate it to me. They could have just as easily dedicated it to themselves. They are the ones who did it, but they did it for a higher cause. What is interesting is they had done everything as I had commanded them (Exodus 29:43). Thus, I was like a boss who told them what to do, they did it, and they were thankful. That is the environment I would love to see in every workplace.”

I looked at the Lord with that look. The look like I heard something important, but that I did not really understand.

“Isn’t that easier said than done, God? I mean there are numerous books on “teams” and they all spout great ideas, but they are difficult to implement– if not impossible.”

The Lord pointed to a bookshelf full of books. It had magically changed from the prior books that were there and all the titles were management or leadership books filled with titles associated with team, teamwork, and team building. So many books. I could barely keep up with all the titles. By the time I finished reading one row of titles, more books would pop up and it would just keep scrolling. I knew the Lord was trying to make a point. The point was that he had more books than the Library of Congress- and he wanted to emphasize the point that there were more than enough books on teams.

“Bingo Sam. Do we really need all these titles?  That is a rhetorical question. Of course not, and I agree with your thoughts. All these books attack at the periphery of what really matters. I liken it to all the books about family dynamics. Oh, so many books…and the answer is right in front of everyone. You need love to make a family work. Yes, the answer is easy, but the execution is much more difficult. The same can be said for a team. A team only works if it functions like a family. What is the term they like to use- a dysfunctional family?”

“I really don’t know of any families that aren’t dysfunctional.”  I laughed at my snide comment- forgetting for a second that I was talking with the Lord, but when was the last time I had met someone who could truly say that everything was fine with their family.

“Sam, you’re correct. Look at the founding families. I am not talking about the founding families of the United States…and boy was that Martha Washington a hoot…but I am talking about the first families in the Bible. Abraham and Sara, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel…and let’s not forget… Leah. Look at all the family drama. There was more family drama there than in most Mexican telenovelas. But even with all the problems, they were able to survive and over time they made it work. They were able to accomplish their goals. There were competing goals, and lots of issues, but they were able to keep the family together. What I am saying is that having a family work well is very tough…just like trying to get a team to work well. The families that work the best are open, truthful, and full of love.”

The screen flickered and up came the familiar squares of the Brady Bunch. I loved that show.

“Sam, even TV families can show us a common bond or goal can help solve so many issues. Teams can be the same way. The way I would like to envision a great team would be like a start-up. Everyone is excited. They’re full of energy. They have so much enthusiasm. They’re striving for the same basic goals. Develop something new, solve a problem, and make a killing on the IPO. They’re so excited that they sometimes live their lives at the company. Sleeping at the office, eating all the meals there, living and breathing the company. That enthusiasm is wonderful.”

“But…”  I couldn’t finish my comment.

“Yes, I know. Many startups flame out. Many people get disillusioned at start-ups. The environment might be stifling for some. That is just like a family. The dynamic is not constant. There are constant changes, and it needs to be worked on. It takes a lot of listening, understanding, focus, time, and so much more. It is difficult…almost impossible. But it is worth fighting for. That is why a manager needs to constantly understand the dynamics around a team. Are people fighting, working together, working against each other, staying at the office too long, and so on….”

I was thinking how the original Silicon Valley could have been the desert with the Israelites trying to brainstorm. No foosball table, Pilates classes, or all you can eat tofu entrees. But I then remembered they had free meals in the desert. That could have been a great start-up perk.

“Sam, One of the Hebrew words I used in the bible is “Kahl.”  It means community. The term is used several times in different ways. One time it is used when the people came together with the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1) and then again in Exodus 35:1. While they seem to mean the same thing- they are different, and the difference is Sam….?”

“Of course….it all goes back to context Sam.”

I nodded my head in agreement. Of course, I will not argue with the Lord. It just seemed everything revolved around context and that is why so much advice is incorrect. It is correct during a specific context, but rarely are contexts the same. Attention to detail will normally show that there are subtle or ginormous differences.

The Lord continued. “Going back to My prior example, the first instance with the Golden Calf involved a mob of people intent on pressuring Aaron to build an idol as a representation or manifestation of their connection to me because they were “leaderless.”  Their leader Moses had ascended the mountain to meet me and when they did not see him coming back in time what did they do?  They did not consider Aaron or the elders as leaders, they wanted only one leader, and he was not there.  Without a rudder to their ship, the community was lost. In contrast, with the second example of building the Tabernacle, they were no longer a mob, but a family, a community. They were together. They had their leader. They had their North Star. They had a specific mission, a specific leader, a mandate to accomplish something which I had commanded. When they were done, they were happy they accomplished something for me…but more importantly for Moses and for themselves. While it is my tabernacle…it is really their tabernacle.”

The screens came to life again with a video of the Israelites dancing and celebrating their accomplishment. They must have been so proud.

“You nailed it Sam, it was their accomplishment- their meeting place. It was their crowning moment as a community. That is what a team is like. That is where having the right leader, right manager, and right environment can result in the right team environment. While everyone is supposed to work, their engagement with the task is voluntary. They can go through the motions, or they could truly give of themselves. It is this personal contribution which was seen when all the Israelites gave to the Tabernacle. To really build a team, there needs to be a meaningful project. There needs to be a mission de jure where people can coalesce around something special such as building a house for a veteran or some other meaningful project rather than just a ropes course where the people think it is great…because they are not working. That post ropes course glow fades very quickly.”

“Think of it in a sport analogy Sam. The best teams are often not the ones with the best stars and highest payroll, but the teams where all the rag tag players come together to work as one, a common goal, a common mission. Just think about the movie Hoosier.”

I thought for a moment to see what an appropriate follow-up question might be. I was trying to tie together the concept of teams and how they could be applied to businesses. Then it dawned on me that the best companies normally have a cohesive team working towards a similar goal. That was the foundation of the Lord’s reference to the Hoosier movie. The team had a unifying team culture. They bought into the fact that they could be champions. I wondered how one could unify a corporate culture.