TEAM WORK!

Someone said the word TEAM is an acronym that stands for Together Everyone Achieves More. And I quite agree with it.

If there is any area of life where I have observed that team spirit works like a miracle is in the game of football. No matter how skillful a footballer is, if he refuses to imbibe a team spirit, he will definitely win no medal. His team will end up as a loser in the tournament.

That validates the fact there is no winner in a losing team as there is no loser in a winning team. This applies both to the football game and every other aspect of life where a group of people comes together to achieve a common goal or objective; be it in a corporate setting or a school like Lagos Business School (LBS).

Relating this to my experience at LBS, I have come to realize that the strength of the Executive MBA is hinged on teamwork.

Teamwork has its strength which might not be achieved if certain rules are not introduced from the onset. For instance,team work most times make some members lasy as they hide behind the active members and share in the general team success, on the other hand being an active member of the group enables you to develop yourself and achieve more as an individual and group.

Yes, the workload (of the program) is enormous combined with the fact that we have Senior Executives with expectations from their Organisations, entrepreneurs running respective businesses. However, the group has truly helped in reducing the burden and provides a balanced learning style.

Least I forget, family life and the hectic ecosystem as a whole made the program (EMBA) even more challenging. But the idea of group survival has really been helpful and super effective.

As of the time of writing this, it’s our exam week. Sometimes, you don’t know where to start. I mean reading or preparing for the exam. But at the end of each day’s group review, you are mentally and emotionally energized, feeling capable to face the almighty LBS EMBA 28 exam.

No wonder an African proverb said, “It’s cooperation that makes rice to fill the pot.”

In view of the above, let me reiterate that effective teamwork is the best strategy that we need to overcome this present challenge facing us.

Why did I say effective teamwork?

We all need to be active, not dormant team member, being a passive or dormant team member will end up reducing the quality of output that the group will produce. And that will further rub off on our overall performance as a group. 

So we should avoid being passive at all cost, all inactive members must be charged to take up one responsibility or the other.

I am proud of my group members as they worked tirelessly leaveraging on each other’s area of strength, at some point, on a lighter note, I felt we owe our chief accountant, Mr. G, he always championed the calculation aspects which we all know is the major part of most of our courses. 

I know that some of us may not agree with me, but I sometimes feel we should pay part of his tution as a student teacher, he has been of tremendous help to the group.

Nonetheless, I say, God bless you immensely, G and all my wonderful team members

In addition, quality time utilisation is key for quality output hence my believe that rules on digression from key topics must be adhered to as we try to strike a balance. I must confess that we were able to balance our time thus enjoying the group work all the way. Glad the semester has come to an end! I believe we will do better next semester.

Above all, I can shout again and again to the moon that our team has wonderful , committed members. I mean people who have been selfless and generous givers of their time and resources. Not just takers or equalizers.

And I say kudos to you all!

Nkem Adenuga

EMBA 28