You always need a team

A year ago, I had just started working in our US Sales team, based out of Chennai, India. One particular week, I was unwell, with sudden bouts of high fever cropping up every few hours. I had to go to work that evening ‘cos I had an important call with a prospective customer. And that call could probably make or break the deal. Around 2 am, just an hour before the call, I felt drowsy after all the medicines and headed to the ‘Nap room’ (Yep, we have one) to catch a quick 20 minute sleep.

I suddenly woke up to the sound of my phone ringing and it was 5 am. I had missed my call. It was two hours after my scheduled call. Shitttt! I had a mild panic attack. Cursing myself, I rushed to my cubicle, also trying to open my email on my phone simultaneously. No emails. I furiously refreshed, and I also tried checking the CRM on my mac, groggily. Imagining all the worst possible scenarios right from getting twitter shamed to getting fired, didn’t help a bit.

I pressed F5 out of sheer habit, cursing myself again.

Wait. Whaaaat? I was shocked at what I saw. and was surprised at the number that showed under my name. The prospect was now a customer and the money had hit the bank. Pleasant surprise. Disbelief.

I pinched myself to make sure it wasn’t a dream and slowly lifted my head up to find two of my teammates smirking at me, and trying hard not to laugh. Turns out these guys had picked my call, negotiated and closed the deal for me. I sat there basking in the warmth I felt from these guys (and also from my fever ;)). And that’s when it hit me, the importance of a good team.

Good teams have your back when you sometimes slip. They’re there to pick you up when you fall. They’re happy when you are marching forward. They help you learn and grow. Competing with them gets the best out of you.

What amazes me is the fact that people with different likes and dislikes, different attitudes and preferences come together and work towards a common goal.

Once in a while, we also come across someone who can do things better, alone. Who are more comfortable alone. They feel others slow them down in the race. Although, I do respect them, I feel they’re missing out on a lot of fun and camaraderie. I’d always love to work with a team and exchange ideas even if I could do something individually. Synergy is a beautiful concept which sums this up better.

I guess we’ve always been a part of teams right from our childhood. The team you play cricket on the streets with, when you are a kid. The first time you form a gang in school. The people you go cycling with on a Sunday morning. Your sibling, when you have to put a demand against parents. The friends you hang out with most of the time. Your classmates in college. Your doubles partner in table tennis. A lot of our experiences are shaped from our team working skills. Subconsciously, we learn from them and become better people. We form bonds. We find friends.

I do agree that no team is without it’s share of controversies. There is friction. Misunderstanding. Politics. Communication gaps. Conflicts. But all this probably stems from the fact that people go a little overboard when they want to give their best. And at the end of the day, the sense of belonging overcomes anything negative. And disagreements maketh a team!

Like Michael Jordan said ‘Talent might win you games, but teams win you championships.