Thoughts on teams...random revelation
I am back at work...I know, 9 months went by too fast...but yeah, I 'm back at work at Lidl.
To be honest, I expected to just pick up from where I left. It actually felt natural to be back, like I had never left... except for a few things: 1) I had slowed down and my routine got rusty after such a long break... and 2) The team has changed:lost a few teammates and got a few new ones.
You can imagine my frustration at being so slow at first that it would take me 4 hours to do the work I used to do in 2 hours or even less! My brain kept telling me I could do better, but my body was not catching up! So I did the one thing I could (and I am ashamed to admit it, but I have to so I can make my point)... No, not focusing on improving myself! That would be the right answer! I actually looked for excuses. And I found the worst ones! No, not that I was tired, or that I was off for too long, or that a baby/toddler at home is draining! That would be a bit more acceptable.
My excuses were actually the pointing fingers: 'So and So didn't do this properly last night, so it will take me longer to do their duty and mine.' or 'So and so is too slow!'... one thing leading to another, I found myself complaining about my teammates to other teammates. Sriously, when did I regress to kindergarten level? When did I lower my moral standards? When did I get this idea that I am somehow better?
I have been complaining for too long. My thoughts tonight are that you cannot be a team player by complaining about teammates. You cannot buid team spirit by pointing fingers! You cannot be truly part of the team when you gossip, complain, undermine your teammates.
I am not saying I have to put up and just accept the mistakes of others, suck it up, and play pretend. No, not at all! But instead of going around complaining about So and So not caring, I could start thinking about how to include So and So more in the team and help them be more motivated. Before I point fingers at So and So for not doing this or that, I should talk to them to see if they need help. And I should keep my mouth shut when I want to make mean remarks about them. If I can't say nice things about them, I shouldn't say anything at all!
But why bother? Because I care about my team. Because I want to see them as unique individuals with different skills. Because I want to be happy to be around them. Because being happy should win over being right. Because in the end, we all work together to get things done.
I know I am just a store assistant, and it might seem from the outside that it's not hard to keep a store running smoothly. But the work done behind closed doors is crucial. And if we don't work as a team, if we don't care, the store will show it. And I would be so ashamed to have customers complain! I do take pride in my work, and it can be rewarding to see the result of my hard work. But my hard work means nothing without my team.
To be honest, I expected to just pick up from where I left. It actually felt natural to be back, like I had never left... except for a few things: 1) I had slowed down and my routine got rusty after such a long break... and 2) The team has changed:lost a few teammates and got a few new ones.
You can imagine my frustration at being so slow at first that it would take me 4 hours to do the work I used to do in 2 hours or even less! My brain kept telling me I could do better, but my body was not catching up! So I did the one thing I could (and I am ashamed to admit it, but I have to so I can make my point)... No, not focusing on improving myself! That would be the right answer! I actually looked for excuses. And I found the worst ones! No, not that I was tired, or that I was off for too long, or that a baby/toddler at home is draining! That would be a bit more acceptable.
My excuses were actually the pointing fingers: 'So and So didn't do this properly last night, so it will take me longer to do their duty and mine.' or 'So and so is too slow!'... one thing leading to another, I found myself complaining about my teammates to other teammates. Sriously, when did I regress to kindergarten level? When did I lower my moral standards? When did I get this idea that I am somehow better?
I have been complaining for too long. My thoughts tonight are that you cannot be a team player by complaining about teammates. You cannot buid team spirit by pointing fingers! You cannot be truly part of the team when you gossip, complain, undermine your teammates.
I am not saying I have to put up and just accept the mistakes of others, suck it up, and play pretend. No, not at all! But instead of going around complaining about So and So not caring, I could start thinking about how to include So and So more in the team and help them be more motivated. Before I point fingers at So and So for not doing this or that, I should talk to them to see if they need help. And I should keep my mouth shut when I want to make mean remarks about them. If I can't say nice things about them, I shouldn't say anything at all!
But why bother? Because I care about my team. Because I want to see them as unique individuals with different skills. Because I want to be happy to be around them. Because being happy should win over being right. Because in the end, we all work together to get things done.
I know I am just a store assistant, and it might seem from the outside that it's not hard to keep a store running smoothly. But the work done behind closed doors is crucial. And if we don't work as a team, if we don't care, the store will show it. And I would be so ashamed to have customers complain! I do take pride in my work, and it can be rewarding to see the result of my hard work. But my hard work means nothing without my team.
I know this was a bit long, but it has been an eye opener to be part of this Lidl team, to see my character, and realise that there is no team spirit without accepting my teammates, and no progress without change. Change begins with me!
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