The Power of Team During the Spring Sprint

Andrew Carnegie once said, "Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision, the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organization objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results" (Economy, 2019).

During the past year, many have experienced a sense of isolation, including those in the world of education. Principals, counselors, teachers, and even students have found themselves feeling more isolated than ever before. As school districts embark on the "spring sprint," it is especially important to find ways to collaborate and increase morale and efficiency through teamwork!  

Throughout history, studies have noted the power that comes from working with a team. According to a study conducted in 1920 by social psychologist Floyd Allport, "the mere presence of other people engaged in the same task as us can boost our motivation," (Giles, 2017). This became known as the social facilitation effect. The mere support we feel by knowing others are working and engaged in our same goals and tasks can be a powerful component of feeling safe and confident in overall work and achievement.  

What about motivation? How many times have you been willing to work harder, take on a challenge, or reach a goal because you know it is helping someone else? Simply being part of something bigger than yourself becomes more important than your own individual goals. In 2009, Oxford University found that "team players can tolerate twice as much pain as those who work alone" (Giles, 2017). The sacrifice we are willing to endure for others is sometimes immeasurable. The great news for the world of education is that our work is almost always about working for others. The time, effort, and sacrifice that educators make daily is always with their students in mind.

So how do educators find that "Power in Team" during the most hectic, stressful time of the year?  

Communicate & Clarify Team Goals

The spring semester can become overwhelming with major tasks that must be completed like course requests, master schedule building, spring testing, and even graduation. Make sure each team member is clear about their responsibilities and how they fit in with the overall goal of the team.

Establish a Safety Net

Make sure each team member feels safe and supported while working to accomplish their goals. Help your teammates avoid feeling overwhelmed by making sure they have a partner to work with on each task. Even if this is just to check in and offer support, having a "go-to" helps move tasks forward with an added sense of security and insurance that the job will get done!

Employ Additional Tools

By utilizing time-saving software and tools, your team will gain efficiency in their projects, ensure success, reduce the amount of time to complete each task, and add an additional support system of experts ready to help when needed.  

Ask for Help

Always remember that you are part of a team and being comfortable asking for help when it is needed is vital to everyone’s success. The willingness to ask your team members for assistance also builds trust in one another and helps create a safe work environment.

Stay positive

Positive reminders and continual encouragement will help create an environment that fosters great work!

Education Advanced has efficiency tools and education experts available to add to your "Power Team" for the spring sprint! We would love to become a part of your team to help you reach all your testing, master scheduling, and curriculum building goals this spring. We are only a phone call away!  

References

• Giles, Ian. (2017). 7 Studies That Prove People Work Better in Teams. https://medium.com/the-crossover-cast/7-studies-that-prove-people-work-better-in-teams-70a87137fbc9
• Economy, Peter. (2019). Inc. Best Workplaces: 17 Really Inspiring Quotes on the Tremendous Power of Teamwork. https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/17-inspiring-quotes-on-remarkable-power-of-teamwork.html