WHY THERE IS NO "I" IN TEAM

There is such a temptation towards self focus in these challenging times where survival of the fittest seems to prevail. However, I would like to share a fine example where the focus on team work and strong organization really impressed me.

You can imagine my horror in a recent arrival to the Fort Lauderdale airport for a business trip to find lines, or queues (as they say in England), all the way from the SouthWest terminal to the taxi area! So, I rushed into the airport and explained that I was there the requisite two hours ahead and what was going on? I was convinced that I was going to miss this flight because there were hundreds of people everywhere!

I quickly learned that nine cruise ships in Port Everglades had just spilled 4,000 passengers into the airport! Of course, I was thrilled at this heart-warming display of consumer spending--all the families, cuddly toys and suntans a testament to excellent vacations. Meanwhile, I was convinced I’d miss my flight just by the sheer number of passengers needing processing. I watched, fascinated, while SouthWest agents herded their passengers into orderly queues while airline representatives walked the lines calling the flights and bringing passengers forward according to departure times.

Still, I was sure all of this organized chaos meant delays, maybe even cancellation, and certainly lots of frustration. However, I will have you know that every passenger on my flight made it onto the plane and we arrived to our destination ten minutes early! This clearly proved to me that teamwork makes what seems unmanageable at first glance, capably handled.

I write this message especially for my fabulous team of associates who do everything possible to ensure that our flights (a.k.a., real estate transactions) take off on time, are smooth, and arrive at their final destination. Not unlike SouthWest airline’s members, my team manages to achieve our goals with a great sense of humor, as well! This confirms to me that I am glad there is no “I” in teamwork. The hard work of my well-seasoned team gets the job done, sharing well-deserved satisfaction among us all.

Happy Selling!