American Teamwork

Working together and teamwork make Americans more efficient and productive. In the documentary American Creed, we see that when kids play teams play sports, they tend to forget about their differences and act as one, for they are all working towards a common goal. While this is an example of the benefits of teamwork on a small scale, this same principle can be used to improve relationships (not to mention efficiency) within the workplace and the world.

We can see in everyday news that Americans are politically growing apart. Especially after the recent election, political parties are more uncooperative than ever. A person’s political identity is more relevant in today’s society and more and more people are paying attention to the news. In “Research: Political Polarization Is Changing How Americans Work and Shop” by Christopher McConnell, Yotam Margalit, Neil Malhotra, and Matthew Levendusky, they explain how political parties have been studied, and it has been found that since the 1970s their dislike for one another has increased by a large amount. This change in view of the opposite party is called affective polarization. Furthering their proof of how political affiliation and political polarization has affected us, they stated “According to a HuffPost/YouGov poll, nearly half of Americans got into an argument with someone (a friend, family member, coworker, etc.) about the election last year”. The lack of cooperation in America’s capital trickles down to all Americans. If people in our government don’t work together then not much can be accomplished, and the same can be said for everyday Americans. Teamwork is a value that is severely underrated, and should be encouraged more.

Although political opposites working together is rare, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t been seen before. Bill Losner and Daniella Levine-Cava in are stubborn political opposites, but are still friends and have worked together numerous times in county meetings. In “Political Polar Opposites Can Work Together“ by SDNL stated that “All in attendance felt it would be a good thing if our elected officials in Washington would put aside their differences and work together for the good of the country.” The people in the local farm bureau meeting felt that if they could cooperate with one another then so could politicians at the national level.

Teamwork is crucial in being able to get things done, especially in a democratic country like America. Good teamwork skills help in numerous areas of our lives, not being limited to just politics. Business, the workforce, and education all value teamwork and there are some great benefits that come with it. In “What Can a Manager Do to Promote Good Teamwork?” It shows how teamwork can help the workplace by saying “Good teamwork doesn't just spring up like lilies in the field, but with the right techniques, you can encourage its development in your team. An atmosphere of trust and cooperation, allows you to reach your goals on time and under budget.” Working together leads to better communication, which causes clarity and better understanding. That in turn creates trust and causes problem solving skills to be developed, and the overall efficiency and speed of the workplace increases. On top of this, “The Importance of Teamwork in Education” from the Canadian Academy of dental hygiene illustrates the workings of effective teamwork, talking about how the goal is to focus on the group as a whole and not the individuals, but without sacrificing the skills and strengths that each member possesses that is unique to them.

America is a country that was built on the unification of different people, and this feeling of unification has been declining as of late. It is crucial that we express the importance of teamwork and cooperation, not just with young children, but with adults at the workplace and with political leaders in Washington. Hopefully in our country’s future we can learn to work through our differences instead of fighting over them, and maybe then we will be able to make a real difference in how we work with and treat one another.

Citations:

Levendusky, Christopher McConnell, Yotam Margalit, Neil Malhotra, Matthew. “Research: Political Polarization Is Changing How Americans Work and Shop.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Publishing, 11 July 2017, hbr.org/2017/05/research-political-polarization-is-changing-how-americans-work-and-shop.

Mattson, Dave. “6 Benefits of Teamwork in the Workplace.” Sandler Training, Sandler Systems, 19 Feb. 2015, www.sandler.com/blog/6-benefits-of-teamwork-in-the-workplace.

Vaux, Robert. “What Can a Manager Do to Promote Good Teamwork?” Chron.com, Hearst Newspapers, smallbusiness.chron.com/can-manager-promote-good-teamwork-15462.html.

Political Polar Opposites Can Work Together 0 comments. “Political Polar Opposites Can Work Together.” South Dade News Leader, SDNL, 4 Aug. 2017, http://www.southdadenewsleader.com/news/political-polar-opposites-can-work-together/article_9f524c02-7895-11e7-8560-2f595f823e63.html

“The Importance of Teamwork in Education.” CADH, Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene, 26 Nov. 2015,

https://www.canadianacademyofdentalhygiene.ca/blog/importance-teamwork-education.html