Book Summary: The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork

This article is based on the following book:
The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork
"Embrace Them and Empower Your Team"
John C. Maxwell, author of ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’
Published in Nashville, Tennessee by Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2001
265 pages

To achieve great things, you need a team. Building a winning team
requires understanding of these principles. Whatever your goal or
project, you need to add value and invest in your team so the end
product benefits from more ideas, energy, resources, and perspectives.

1. The Law of Significance
People try to achieve great things by themselves mainly because of
the size of their ego, their level of insecurity, or simple naiveté
and temperament. One is too small a number to achieve greatness.

2.The Law of the Big Picture
The goal is more important than the role. Members must be willing
to subordinate their roles and personal agendas to support the team
vision. By seeing the big picture, effectively communicating the
vision to the team, providing the needed resources, and hiring the
right players, leaders can create a more unified team.

3. The Law of the Niche
All players have a place where they add the most value. Essentially,
when the right team member is in the right place, everyone benefits.
To be able to put people in their proper places and fully utilize
their talents and maximize potential, you need to know your players
and the team situation. Evaluate each person’s skills, discipline,
strengths, emotions, and potential.

4. The Law of Mount Everest
As the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. Focus
on the team and the dream should take care of itself. The type of
challenge determines the type of team you require: A new challenge
requires a creative team. An ever-changing challenge requires a
fast, flexible team. An Everest-sized challenge requires an
experienced team. See who needs direction, support, coaching, or
more responsibility. Add members, change leaders to suit the
challenge of the moment, and remove ineffective members.

5. The Law of the Chain
The strength of the team is impacted by its weakest link. When a
weak link remains on the team the stronger members identify the
weak one, end up having to help him, come to resent him, become
less effective, and ultimately question their leader’s ability.

6. The Law of the Catalyst
Winning teams have players who make things happen. These are the
catalysts, or the get-it-done-and-then-some people who are naturally
intuitive, communicative, passionate, talented, creative people who
take the initiative, are responsible, generous, and influential.

7. The Law of the Compass
A team that embraces a vision becomes focused, energized, and
confident. It knows where it’s headed and why it’s going there.
A team should examine its Moral, Intuitive, Historical, Directional,
Strategic, and Visionary Compasses. Does the business practice with
integrity? Do members stay? Does the team make positive use of
anything contributed by previous teams in the organization? Does the
strategy serve the vision? Is there a long-range vision to keep the
team from being frustrated by short-range failures?

8. The Law of The Bad Apple
Rotten attitudes ruin a team. The first place to start is with your
self. Do you think the team wouldn’t be able to get along without
you? Do you secretly believe that recent team successes are
attributable to your personal efforts, not the work of the whole
team? Do you keep score when it comes to the praise and perks
handed out to other team members? Do you have a hard time admitting
you made a mistake? If you answered yes to any of these questions,
you need to keep your attitude in check.

9. The Law of Countability
Teammates must be able to count on each other when it counts. Is
your integrity unquestionable? Do you perform your work with
excellence? Are you dedicated to the team’s success? Can people
depend on you? Do your actions bring the team together or rip it
apart?

10. The Law of the Price Tag
The team fails to reach its potential when it fails to pay the price.
Sacrifice, time commitment, personal development, and unselfishness
are part of the price we pay for team success.

11. The Law of the Scoreboard
The team can make adjustments when it knows where it stands. The
scoreboard is essential to evaluating performance at any given time,
and is vital to decision-making.

12. The Law of the Bench
Great teams have great depth. Any team that wants to excel must have
good substitutes as well as starters. The key to making the most of
the law of the bench is to continually improve the team.

13. The Law of Identity
Shared values define the team. The type of values you choose for the
team will attract the type of members you need. Values give the team
a unique identity to its members, potential recruits, clients, and
the public. Values must be constantly stated and restated, practiced,
and institutionalized.

14. The Law of Communication
Interaction fuels action. Effective teams have teammates who are
constantly talking, and listening to each other. From leader to
teammates, teammates to leader, and among teammates, there should
be consistency, clarity and courtesy. People should be able to
disagree openly but with respect. Between the team and the public,
responsiveness and openness is key.

15. The Law of the Edge
The difference between two equally talented teams is leadership.
A good leader can bring a team to success, provided values, work
ethic and vision are in place. The Myth of the Head Table is the
belief that on a team, one person is always in charge in every
situation. Understand that in particular situations, maybe another
person would be best suited for leading the team. The Myth of the
Round Table is the belief that everyone is equal, which is not true.
The person with greater skill, experience, and productivity in a
given area is more important to the team in that area. Compensate
where it is due.

16. The Law of High Morale
When you’re winning, nothing hurts. When a team has high morale,
it can deal with whatever circumstances are thrown at it.

17. The Law of Dividends
Investing in the team compounds over time. Make the decision to
build a team, and decide who among the team are worth developing.
Gather the best team possible, pay the price to develop the team,
do things together, delegate responsibility and authority, and
give credit for success.

By: Regine P. Azurin and Yvette Pantilla
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