Let me tell you a parable. An old man was walking down the road when a strange thing happened, his nose started talking with his eyes. The nose was very angry because the old man had poor eyesight and needed to wear glasses in order to see.
The nose said, “You eyes are no good. You can’t see properly. As a result, this old man has to wear glasses. But you eyes don’t carry the weight of the glasses; I, the nose, have to carry the glasses and you don’t even help.” The eyes apologized for the problem but said the glasses were needed.
One day, the nose said, “I have had enough. I am not going to carry the weight of the glasses any more. After all, I don’t need the glasses!” At that, the old man was forced to remove his glasses.
The man continued down the road, though he could not see where he was going. Then it happened: he walked into the wall of a building, injuring his head on the wall.
What part of the man got hurt? Of course, it was the nose that got hurt the most. His nose hit the wall first. That was when the nose learned an important lesson. Just as the eyes needed the nose to carry the man’s glasses, so the nose needed the eyes to keep him from walking into a wall. They needed each other.
The Apostle Paul tells us that as Christians, we are all part of one body. Each part of the body is different and has different skills and abilities. Each part of the body has a specific purpose and function to make the body work properly. Every part of the body is important; no part of the body is indispensable. Everyone is needed and needs to be valued.
The same is true of our team mates with whom we work. As I have travelled around the world, I am amazed at the great diversity of personalities, abilities and skills among the people who work with Book of Hope. There are no two people in Book of Hope who are the same. Yet we are all part of one body that seeks to minister to children and youth around the world. Though there is diversity among us, each is essential for the ministry to work effectively. We value our differences.
Despite the fact that we are all followers of Jesus and despite our best intentions, at times people have difficulty working together. All people at one time or another are frustrated by someone with whom they need to work. Others just don’t see a situation as we do. Someone else may not value our ideas and contributions. This can lead to frustration and conflict. It can harm the work of the ministry.
As Christians, we should have the grace and skills to know how to work harmoniously with co-workers who are not exactly like us!. But how do we do it? How do we avoid conflict on our teams?
There can be many reasons for misunderstanding and conflict. But, one of the reasons we have difficulty with compatibility among team members is that we tend to view others on the basis of our own strengths. This is what happens when the eye says to the hand, “I have no need of you.” The eye values what it is capable of doing, that is, seeing and If that hand cannot see, then, in the mind of the eyes, the hand cannot be necessary or important. In the same way, the head cannot say to the feet “I have no need of you.” Why would the head say this? Only because the head values what a head can do and belittles what a foot can do. A head says, “Look feet, you can’t think! Therefore you can’t be important.”
When a person looks at other team members on the basis of his own strengths and abilities, he will often minimize, the value of others. This leads to trouble for the team. Sooner or later the eyes, who value the need of others to see, will need someone with the ability of a hand, to hold a glass of water and bring the glass to the mouth. But if the hand is not valued, the hand may not be willing to hold the glass of water for the eyes!
How do you build a team that works together?
See the personal differences among your team as strengths, not weaknesses. Take note of others, particularly those who are not like you. Recognize the differences among your team. Take another look at those who are not like you and with whom you have difficulty relating. Value them.
You work with a variety of people. Each person has his own personality and each has his own abilities. One person may be highly skilled and capable of accomplishing a great deal in a short time. He is capable of getting a lot of work done. Others may be more relational and capable of building partnerships that will strengthen the program. The key to building harmonious teams is to value the strengths and skills of others, strengths and abilities which are different from your own and to work at maximizing the strengths of others. We fail to do this at times because we want everyone to be and work just like us. When we do this, we lose the contribution that others can bring to the team’s program.
Give others an opportunity to serve. Give them meaningful opportunities. Do this, even if they serve differently than you. Sharing ministry will bring the team closer to you.
A few years ago when I was pastoring, a church member came to me and said, “Pastor, you know I love you and your preaching, but my husband who is not a believer can’t stand you! He does however really like that red-headed pastor who preaches some times and he will come whenever he preaches!” I could have been offended by what she said, but I took it as a compliment. By giving my associate an opportunity to preach, I was able to ro reach out to a person my own ministry could not reach. My associate not only had a different personality, he had abilities that I lacked.
The same is true in your team. Not everyone is like you. Not everyone works like you do. Not everyone has the skills that you do. By giving room for others to express themselves and to minister, you can reach more people than if you try to make everyone serve just like you. Every part of the body is needed.
Reach out to meet the personality needs of others. Do this particularly to those who are different from yourself. If you are driven by your work schedule, you may be missing the opportunity to encourage someone else. Take time to encourage someone. You may need that person in the days ahead.
Team members are not all the same. They have different skills and abilities and they have differing personalities. For example, Bill may have a strong need to be productive, to get things done. Numbers are important to Bill. John, another team member, may have a strong need to build relationships with others. John wants to know people personally and relate with them. Here’s the possible problem. Bill may be so busy getting his job done that he walks by people and barely says “hello.” John, the other team member says, “Bill, why can’t you slow down and be friendly and talk with the test of us? We would work better for you if we knew you cared about us as individuals.” As a result, there may be misunderstanding and possibly tension among the team.
Reach out to those who have personalities and gifts different from your own. When you give them an opportunity, they will blossom.