A popular expression in team building circles is “there’s no ‘I’ in team”. The point being made is that the team performs best when we focus on the team, as opposed to being individualistic and focussing on our own wants and needs.

It’s a fair point.

But it is only one point. And there is another way of viewing the situation, as there usually is in pretty much any situation.

That point is that we are human beings, and we cannot connect as a team if we fail to recognise the individuals and their intrinsic wants and needs in the team. In fact – more importantly – we are social beings. Our connection to others is a primaeval drive, which evolved out of necessity: without others we do not survive.

This is why at Flying Wolf we like to flip this notion on its head.

What would it be like to go to work every day and know that the people you worked with really cared about you? That they have your back. That they are there for you. That they want the best for you.

Building a strong team, which supports and encourages the individuals within the team helps those individuals to flourish, which in turn helps the team to flourish – it’s a classic win-win situation.