"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together," is an African proverb that clearly defines the importance of teams. A team that works together often goes far, and anyone that goes far often doesn't go alone.
To the outside world, longevity of a business is an accomplishment that is often overlooked, but within an organization it is a concrete reminder of a strong cultural foundation. That foundation is not built just by hiring the best people, but including them. These organizations reach anniversary milestones because they have always gone together.
Including people is more than just having them present and accepting them; sometimes you have to GO get them. I have been a part of a number of teams where team members are present and accepted, but not included. Including them places them in the "in-group". The group where they share ideas, learn from other team members, and contribute more than they initially bargained for because they feel a strong sense of organizational identity. The attitudes the in-group produces create organizational cultures that most any business leader desires. So how do we grow the in-group? We GO get the present people.
We GO, not just to the people we like and not just to the people who support all of our ideas, but to every person who comes into the organization looking to join the team, and we get them. "Getting" them isn't inviting them when convenient, it's often being intentional to GO to them at your own inconvenience. GO is emphasized in this blog because it is the best way to include others. Including doesn't look like "Hey, this way," or "We are over here!" Including is GOING and saying, "Come with me." When we take action and GO, we give a clear and direct invitation into the in-group.
GOING isn't always easy. Sometimes it means sacrifice. Giving up a lunch with friends on the team to GO eat lunch with the present teammate, leaving home early to GO give them a ride to work/practice, even leaving your ideas under the rug on small projects to GO get their ideas. The list of ways you can grow your in-group is exhaustive, but all the good ones involve GOING.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, GO together."
Great advice! HB