noun team·work
\ˈtēm-ˌwərk\
The dictionary defines teamwork as, "work
done by several associates with each doing a part but all to the
efficiency of the whole.” Synonyms of teamwork include collaboration, cooperation
and coordination. Dictionary.com defines teamwork as a "cooperative or
coordinated effort on the part of a group of persons acting together as a team
or in the interests of a common cause.
A team can be a group of colleagues working on a business project, a group of
friends planning a party, business leaders brainstorming for a community event,
church members planning the next year's budget and calendar, a family or couple
devoted to achieving a common dream and shared goals. We are all a part of many
cross-functional teams.
Teamwork is one of the top three qualities needed to attain goals successfully.
Every person has strengths and weaknesses that contribute to or hinder the
team's success. I believe in order to turn dreams into goals into realities a
person needs dedication, hard work, and teamwork. Other qualities and
characteristics can be vital as well, but without these three core traits, most
good ideas fail in execution.
I believe that God and the universe put people in our lives that are meant to
be a part of our team - whether short or long term. There is no way I could
have gained the knowledge and wisdom in finances that God gave me without some
important people along the way. My dad for starters, my grandfather, Dale,
Leanne, Leon, Steve, Chris, Crown Financial, Larry Burkett, Howard Dayton and
God bless him, Dave Ramsey. Therefore, they, along with my
financial adviser/broker and bankers are my financial team.
Our family worked together has a team to conquer our debt, made personal
sacrifices, and accepted and propelled our family financial goals. We - as a
team - did the Crown Financial course and system and adopted Dave Ramsey's
theories and strategies too. (They are the exact same steps and system just taught
in different formats. Crown is biblical-based whereas Dave has the same
foundation but just mentions God less.) I did not make it to Dave Ramsey's 6th
baby step (destination 5 of the Crown Money Map 7-step journey) by myself. We
did it as a unified team to reach shared results and goals. (And we're still
doing it!) Together.
As a team, Chris and I and both children worked in and enjoyed the fruits of labor of
the garden at our home in North Carolina. Chris and I have been talking about
our farm in the country since before we married in 1999 and that dream got
shelved in the hustle and bustle of early married life, bills, debt, kids,
jobs. We even got sidetracked a time or two. However, we never forgot our dream
and as we paid off the credit cards, consumer debts, and built savings and
investment accounts, we knew that dream was so much more
possible than ever before. As a collective unit, Chris and I listed all the
attributes we wanted in a property and how much we wanted to pay for it.
As a team, we learned what we each needed to learn. Turning to real estate and
mortgage experts, I learned all about land loans versus loans for city homes,
construction loans and buying property. My regular bank, where we kept our
checking and savings that had given us two mortgages in the past did not offer
loans for homes with more than 3.5 acres. I needed to know if it was feasible
and how to do it before I could begin the actual search.
During a year of search, we never found a property in our Charlotte, NC area or
near my family in coastal Carolina. We searched all through North and South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, even as far west as
Louisiana and Texas. We are Southerners and knew we would never go farther than
that, besides who wants longer colder winters? With my writing job, I could
live anywhere in the world. However, the southeastern United States has a
276-year hold on us that we just don't mind.
In April 2014, Chris and I along with our little boy took a quick trip to
Georgia to see some properties. One was of particularly keen interest and the
others met the majority of our desires. I felt it when I walked across the
pasture at one of those Georgia properties that it was going to be
our home. There were tears in my eyes, goosebumps on my arms, and a sense of
home plus I could feel my own daddy's approval and joy in the nature of the
place. I was careful not to show the sellers and real estate agent my emotions,
but it was tough. We went back to NC that same day and the house in NC was on
the market two days later on May 1.
We had so much to learn, do and see. Selling one house and finding another
that met our requirements and moving without any day of homelessness. And the
two houses not even being in the same state made it tough and sometimes it was
so stressful I thought I'd just stop the whole process.
Finally after an agonizing six weeks, my realtor Warren called. "You have
an offer," he said so flatly I thought I had misheard. "Excuse me,
what?" He repeated, "You've got an offer to buy your house." You
know the house we tried to sell in 2008 and in 2011 and for nearly two years on
the market never got one offer and suddenly you're telling me I've got an
offer?! We were all shocked! It was 4% under asking price. I took it. (Let's
not waste time; we got stuff to do today!)
The next morning, I emailed my realtor in Georgia with an offer to purchase a
15-acre parcel of land on the river that had creeks, woods, fields and
pastures, a couple of outbuildings, a pool, and a three-bedroom home built in
the 1990's. She must have been busy all day because she did not call me until
later in the afternoon. We chatted and confirmed the details of the offer and
she was going to contact the seller.
She called me back in less than 15 minutes and simply said, "YOU GOT A
DEAL!" when I answered the call. I nearly fell to my knees! I am sure I
yelled aloud - loudly! I know I did some sort of crazy dance down the driveway
and in the middle of the road because Chris's truck was coming around the
corner! He gave me a weird what-have-you-been-drinking look and I hollered,
"WE GOT A DEAL! WE GOT A DEAL! WE HAVE A DEEEEEEEEEEEAL!" I never
wondered until now if the neighbors heard me or saw me. Oh well, I certainly did
not care then or now.
That double-deal acceptance launched a stress-filled, anxious, tunnel-visioned
six weeks. It was torture. It was stressful. I lost weight (that was great)! On
top of our everyday life of work, kids, house, garden, bills, schools, you know
- the norm, now I had a house-selling, house-buying, mortgage-applying,
home-inspecting, packing whirlwind. Thank God for the team I surrounded myself
for support and sanity. This included my realtors and mortgage broker, Chris
and the kids, my mom and my sister, but also my friends Alysha, Katie,
Stephanie, Thomas, and a few others who helped me focus, remain calm
and prioritize.
Thank heavens for teamwork! We never have to carry the load all by ourselves!
Whether it is your team at work or your team that helps raise your kids
(spouse, family, babysitters, nannies, teachers, doctors, nurses, etc.) or your
sanity team or your let's-find-our-dream team or your family members. Sometimes
you can play the role of cheerleader in a team, encouraging and lifting others
up, keeping the momentum going and inspiring the labors of the team.
Life is a team sport and it would be tough to do it alone. I personally know
that while I am great at earning a living writing, I am not so great on
physical labor or teaching kids. I delegate those tasks to someone else. Thank
God Chris is a hard worker and can do strenuous labor. Moreover, he actually
enjoys it. He is thankful that I can effectively manage our finances (with my
money team), manage a business, research investments and create a cash flow for
our dreams. He and the kids are grateful for my systematic approach to food
shopping and preparing delicious foods and meals (from scratch. Daily.) I am so
appreciative of my children for helping in the garden with planting and
harvesting. There is no way we could get everything done in a day without my
teenage daughter's help. She manages the dish washing process, bakes bread,
makes tea, teaches and babysits and plays with her five-year-old brother,
cleans, does laundry, makes dinner once a month, feeds the dogs, and so much
more than I can list.
Even Henry Thoreau, though he lived in solitaire, had a team. Somebody allowed
him to live on their land, someone else had built the home he bought then
rebuilt in another location, somebody sold him seeds and supplies, someone
bought his garden produce. He could not have done it completely and utterly
alone.
Here on our farm, we all work together to get the chores done. We all work
together to achieve our goals and dreams. That's what it is all about: striving
as a team to turn dreams into goals into realities. Think of the people on your
team. Have you thanked them lately?
~
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