Greatest good is achieved through solid teamwork

One day, the body and its parts began to criticize the belly for enjoying a life of idleness and luxury, while they spent all their time working to feed it. So they entered into a conspiracy to cut off the belly's supplies in the future.

The hands would no longer carry food to the mouth, nor would the mouth receive the food, nor would the teeth chew it. Not long after following this plan, the parts began to fail, and the whole body began to waste away.

Then the members realized that the belly, which seemed cumbersome and useless, had an important function of its own. They could no more do without it than it could do without them. If they wanted to keep the body in a healthy state, they must work together, each in his proper sphere, for the common good of all.

The moral of this Aesop's Fable: Only by working together can the greatest good for all be achieved.

In a word, teamwork. You have to work together.

Everyone wants to be the star. Unfortunately, stars rarely win anything by themselves. For any star to shine, a team is needed to back him or her up.

Ask Babe Ruth if he could have won a single baseball game all by himself. Ask Henry Ford if he could have built a car company all by himself. Ask Thomas Edison if he could have made all his inventions all by himself.

More importantly, everyone on the team not only has to pursue the same goal, but must also feel that his or her role is crucial to the team's success.

To illustrate the importance of assembling a team, consider these questions:

Do you need more than one person? Maybe the work calls for different skill sets or different perspectives. Or maybe it's just too much work for one person to handle. For example, a chef alone can't run a restaurant; wait staff, busboys, dishwashers and other people are required. Form a team when you really need a concerted effort.

Will the project create a common purpose? Sometimes forming a team is useful when you want to build a sense of teamwork in your department. If the project will pull people together and give them a common goal, a team can strengthen bonds and have a positive effect long after the task is completed.

Can you depend on the team members to support each other? If the team consists of members who don't get along or respect the others' contributions, the work will suffer. Promote team-building exercises and activities to enhance the group's dynamics. Provide opportunities for each team member to showcase their contribution.

Don't underestimate the value of creating teamwork opportunities outside the normal business arena. Company ball teams, choirs, volunteer projects and outings allow people to get to know each other on a different level, which can translate into better cooperation in the workplace.

Mackay's Moral: Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success.