Monday, March 1, 2010

Which Team Player is Most Beneficial?

There's a classic phrase that just about everyone knows. "There's no 'I' in team." Teamwork is something we've all had experience with and it is quite important that people know how to work with others. There are many projects that require multiple people in order to get things done. One person is certainly not enough. Now, the question is, what kind of team player are you? Are you the leader or the supporter? Constantly people have been told that leadership is an important thing. If everyone focuses on being a leader, each person would be clashing heads with one another claiming his or her way is the correct approach. Excuse the exaggeration but it was necessary to point out that leadership is important, just not important enough to argue over and get nothing done.

On the other hand, there is the supporter or the follower. Supporters are necessary to help the leaders with tasks that need to be finished. It may not be as flashy as having "leader" tagged to your name but supporters still play a significant role in teamwork. It's also important that not everyone is the follower because then nothing would ever be finished. Both are equally important and yet only a limited number of each is needed for optimal performance. Which team player is the most beneficial?

If you ask me, I would say the hybrid. Rather, the person who can take on both roles and become one or the other when necessary. Some of you may not have realized it yet but that's what collaboration has been teaching people. It's teaching people to both lead and support at the same time. This, I believe, is the true meaning of teamwork. The MVP in any team is the person that can lead efficiently and assist when it's necessary. Are you that MVP?

Monday, February 22, 2010

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How is Experience Important?

It all comes down to one thing when marketing yourself for a job upon graduation. Experience. Some will have it, most won't. When jumping from college into the business world, the resume becomes your new best friend. My thoughts? You can be on the dean's list every semester in college and lose a job to someone with a 3.0 average. The difference? The 3.0 average probably has had quite a few experiences in the field with one or two internships over you. I'm not saying that you should just start bombing classes and start getting experience in your field, I'm just saying that the person with experience understands the field better. Good grades in college can show how well you manage your time and such. After all, internships usually require the student have a 3.0 to 3.5 gpa average. You could say that grades are a staple when it comes to a job. Having good grades allows a student to get an internship which, in the long run, grants that person the experience needed for the business world. If you've had internships, good for you. If you haven't, hang on to your butts, because you're in for a rough ride and good luck.