There is no I in team

I used to hate this saying growing up, because I didn't really understand it. Since getting older means getting wiser, I have begun to understand just how important this saying is. When someone puts an I in team, it not only misspells the word, it also creates a lot on animosity in that team.
This subject is important to me because I will soon be working on a team, and I want to keep this saying at the front of my mind. I want the team I work on to be just that, a team, a really good team.
I learned last year how horribly wrong a team can go when everyone does not work together. Or even worse it can go when it gets competitive. A little friendly competition isn't usually a bad thing, but it can easily turn into a not so friendly competition. Last year my coworkers and I started a team to raise money for diabetes (we all work in a diabetic clinic), and at first it was a lot of fun. But towards the end it felt like more of a race to see who could raise the most. Which is great in a way, because we raised a lot of money for a good cause. But the feeling like it was a competition was not so good, we weren't supposed to be trying to one up each other. We were there only to raise money to help support diabetes education and research. So this year as I start raising funds again I am trying to stay positive and not treat this year like a competition. I want it to be fun for everyone involved. It is not about who raises the most, it is about raising money for a cause important to a lot of people. I am really excited to start getting fundraisers organized, I have a ton of fun putting them together, and it makes me so happy when they end up successful. It always amazes me how much work goes into a fundraiser, but knowing that event will help fund research towards a cure is such a thrill to me.
As I work on my resolution to become a great team player, I hope that I can also teach my son how important it is to be a part of a team. Since he is currently playing t-ball this will also be a great skill for him start working on.

Remembering to always spell team right,
Melissa #1