Creating a team out of Family.

Every family is challenged with the ability to work together as a team. It is a dream of mine when I have children who then marry (many many years from now, but its ok to dream), that each individual couple will develop their team, at the same time participating as a part of the larger team in the extended family.

Back to reality:  The moments when siblings get along, parents are emotionally stable, and extended family are in harmony with each other are few and far between as it is. During the holidays it is expected that those fleeting moments will condense into the 3-14 days a year everyone is in each others space. Having a plan is absolutely necessary and make sure to include activities that interest several different age groups, the connections created between aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins are sure to be the highlight. In doing so, it doesn't allow for many tense moments between adults. 

Since my hubby and I have worked so hard to develop team Guerrero these past 3 years, I have great hopes and dreams for the future.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Picture included complements of

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=789

 http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni13a2.htm

Understanding the Importance of Teamwork

Karlene Sugarman explains how you can assess and develop a cohesive team

The concept of teamwork is extremely important to the success of any team. All coaches talk about working as one unit, as a unified team. Teamwork and unselfishness create the backbone of a great team, without them a team cannot realistically compete. You can have a group of superstars, but if they do not work well as one unit, chances are they are not going to be as successful as you would think. The team working as one cohesive unit is going to be the key in their success.

What to look for

Here are some things to take into consideration when you are looking at your team:

1. Does your team have agreed-upon goals they created as a team?
2. Do the players openly encourage and support one another?
3. Do they have open communication with one another, as well as the coaching staff?
4. Does each player know what their role on the team is?
5. Is there mutual respect among the players and coaching staff?
6. Do players use statements such as "we" when referring to the team, or is it more of an "every man for himself" mentality?
7. Have they created a positive team image for themselves?
8. Are the individual contributions of each player recognised (regardless of whether he/she is a starter or not a starter)?
9. Is the team as a whole committed to improving performance?
10. Does each member consider themselves as a "team player?"

A productive team has players that share common goals, a common vision and have some level of interdependence that requires both verbal and physical interaction. Teams come into existence through shared attitudes about a particular sport. They may come together for a number of different reasons, but their goals are the same - to achieve peak performance and experience success. The ends may differ but the means by which one gets there is the same - teamwork. Every member of the team is accountable when it comes to teamwork.

 Teamwork

To succeed at the task in hand everyone involved needs to combine their efforts. If everyone does their job well, then it increases what the team can accomplish. This teamwork has to be recognised by everyone and know that great things can happen if individuals master the fundamentals and work together as one unit. Everyone has their own unique role, but each person's individual role must be recognised and appreciated.
Teamwork is something that must be a high priority and given constant attention. Every player needs to understand how important it is for them to work smoothly together if they want to be successful. Each player must be dedicated to the whole team and be willing to act unselfishly. When challenges arise (as they always do), the team needs to have the resources, accountability and commitment to deal with them in a constructive and positive manner. A sense of teamwork will play an integral part in this.
Just remember T.E.A.M. - Together Everyone Achieves More!

About the Author

Karlene Sugarman is a Sport Psychology Consultant in the USA and the author of the book "Winning the Mental Way", a book on team building and mental training.

Article Reference

• Sugarman K. (2004), "Understanding the Importance of Teamwork", Brian Mackenzie's Successful Coaching (ISSN 1745-7513), Issue 13

If you are willing to drive to Marion IA, this opportunity is for you.

This is for anyone that is watching their budget this year. This year in an effort to help families who might be counting their pennies this year, and to ensure you are able have an annual family picture, but mostly to just to bless you. If you are willing to drive to Marion IA, this opportunity is for you. 

www.hpindahouse.org/documents/calendar.php

An Observer

As we go through this journey together, I want to clarify a couple of important issues.
1. Spheres of Grace is my own creation, however the majority of the material used to provide credibility to this way of thinking, is the accomplishments of wiser more educated people than I.

2.I am simply an observer of human behavior, watching the interactions of my clients, friends, family and people who pass by me on a daily basis, learning from my mistakes more than anything else. While observing, I will attempt to identify the behavior that is helping or hindering the individual(s) in developing or maintaining healthy relationships. Once on my own, I take time to think about and process what I have observed. I research, as thoroughly as I am able, drawing from the wisdom of philosophers, theologians, psychologists, educators and many others who have found a grain of truth within their field of study. Unfortunately, the information usually stays within that field of study.

It is because of my curiosity that I will often try to combine different ways of thinking to see what the outcome might be. For example: what if the philosophy behind C.S. Lewis "The Four Loves" is combined with research on human bonding by Donald Joy Ph.D.? How might my behavior change when I apply that knowledge? When looking for solutions to relational snags, it is often difficult to find what I am looking for, and I spend valuable time looking for help, rather than applying that help to my own thoughts, behaviors and words.

So at the beginning now, this is my hope, that "what" will help relationships grow in a healthy manner will be easily accessible and God will be glorified, through increasingly joyful and harmonious friendships, marriages, families and communities.

Be the Blessing!

Becoming Grace

Each of us interacts daily with people that we rely on for affection, love and support. However, who we want to be the people who support our spiritual journey, are not always the people we would choose. Sometimes our family members are more resistant to participating in spiritual conversations, and a close co-worker or family member from our spouse's family take up that role.

What is important is connecting weekly with a group of people who support you, nurture your spiritual development, and help you find insight and grace in God's word.

The journey with people through life, as you experience and share grace, is expressed among the spheres of influence with people around you. Part of the journey might be grieving the fact you are not as close to someone as you wish you could be. However, experiencing these emotions will make you more aware of the needs of others around you, and my hope is that you are able to discover the tools, the resiliency and the grace to meet those needs.