15 Powerful Quotes About Teamwork

Quotes about Teamwork

We have all heard the cheesy quotes about teamwork. Until recently, I never understood how many of them actually ring true.

Before joining Hive, I spent two great years of my life in the military. Despite what my friends say, the biggest takeaway wasn’t the weight loss. The biggest takeaway was understanding the principles of teamwork. The fight to mission success is a common goal fueled by the camaraderie amongst my fellow serviceman. I could never imagine going into a mission without my team.

The same principle is true for any businesses or organization. Magic happens when teamwork happens.

However, new teams do not necessarily perform well together immediately. Teams have to go through various recognizable stages, transforming from strangers into a cohesive group with a common goal.

There are thousands of quotes about teamwork out there. We have selected 15 most powerful quotes, broken down into the typical stages each team experiences.

Stage 1: Forming

Excitement, anxiety, positivity, and negativity are some basic emotions felt by team members during the forming stage. This is the stage of teamwork where members are getting to know their team and responsibilities.

Here are some useful quotes about teamwork to get through the forming stage:

In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly. — Mark Sanborn

If you do not talk, you lose. Ensure that there are open channels of communication for a team to function effectively. It is extremely important to establish an environment and culture where team members can easily voice concerns, offer suggestions, and have healthy disagreements.

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Do not teach your sales team to just close sales. Do not teach your tech team to just fix problems. Let them understand how their tasks will contribute towards the success and vision of the organization. The best teams understand that everything they do will provide value to their customers or end users. This is why it is important for team members to know the greater goal and how their responsibilities are part of something greater.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” — Henry Ford

As stated earlier, it is easy to form teams. The challenge comes in keeping them working together towards success. It takes time to build high performing teams.

Stage 2: Storming

This stage happens when team members start to feel frustrated over different working styles. Often known as the make-it or break-it stage, it is important for the team to understand the differences through the support of established processes.

Here are some quotes about teamwork to get you and your team through the storming phase:

“You don’t get harmony when everybody sings the same note.” — Doug Floyd

The importance of hearing every single voice cannot be stressed enough. If the entire team is singing the same note, it builds a culture of “group-think”. It is always healthy to have a little disagreement here and there to keep the team challenged. This can be achieved by posing critically challenging questions to spark debate among team members and open discourse.

“If we were all determined to play the first violin, we should never have an ensemble. Therefore, respect every musician in his proper place.” — Robert Schumann

While this stage is important for teams to start performing, it is important that every team members feels valued. Some members are bound to have more responsibilities that seem more important, and this could create sourness among team members. Every member in their proper place is important.

“Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses and their concerns without fear of reprisal.” — Patrick Lencioni

As mentioned in the first quote, silence is deadly. Storming is a good way for teams to promote transparency. This transparency can build a supportive environment where members are not afraid to share their discomfort. Intervention and support can be catered accordingly when shortcomings are acknowledged.

Stage 3: Norming

Team members start to resolve their differences and begin working well together. However, team members may find themselves going through the process of norming and storming all the time.

Keep reminding the team of the importance of working together with these quotes below:

“Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.” — Virginia Burden

Every function and task is important, no matter how seemingly insignificant. A little motivational push can be very valuable to the team’s overall success.

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” — Booker T. Washington

To achieve success, it is no longer “I” but “we”. It sounds corny, but it is true. Encourage the team to see beyond self, in order to reach a greater height.

“Individual commitment to a group effort: That is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” — Vince Lombardi

And in order to lift someone else, team members must provide their best efforts and commitment to the entire group.

Stage 4: Performing

At this stage, team members start to work together and perform towards a common goal. It is always useful to encourage the team to maintain this momentum.

Continue to motivate the team with these quotes:

“You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.” — Jim Stovall

When transparency is achieved, team members can offer encouragement and acknowledgement to other team members. A business culture built on transparency will create a high performing team. Think about a time when group members come together and help one another — it always results in a good feeling.

“It is amazing how much people can get done if they do not worry about who gets the credit.” — Sandra Swine

With high performing teams, it’s not all about business. It’s about the greater picture of the company and the team. When members come together and form a strong bond, individual recognition is not as important.

“The world will be solved by millions of small things.” — Pete Seeger

And that’s the power of teamwork.

Stage 5: Adjourning

All good things must come to an end eventually. This stage may be uncomfortable for teams who got accustomed to working together. It is important to highlight and reflect the successes achieved by the team.

End the journey on a good note with these quotes about teamwork:

“Our destiny is not written for us, it’s written by us.” — Barack Obama

Let the team understand that 100% of the success was attributed by 100% of their efforts and teamwork. Let them know that they are valuable in the organization.

“There’s nothing greater in the world than when somebody on the team does something good, and everybody gathers around to pat him on the back.” — Billy Martin

Be sure to offer the team the necessary compliments to send off the successful team.

“One piece of log creates a small fire, adequate to warm you up, add just a few more pieces to blast an immense bonfire, large enough to warm up your entire circle of friends; needless to say that individuality counts but teamwork dynamites.” — Jin Kwon

Members could feel aimless at the start, but that is not true. Let them remember how much and how far they have come in this journey.
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There. 15 powerful quotes about teamwork to guide you through the stages of being part of a team. Here is a handy infographic so you can refer to these quotes at any time. Happy teamworking!