Teamwork: What teenage sports taught me about the workplace.

Today is Tuesday. Today is the second day that I have been able to make it through my complicated day at work after my more than 1 1/2 years of employment there. At a time when approximately 300,000 people have been laid off monthly, I felt both overwhelmed and under appreciated at work; almost to the point that I would have rather been without a job than to return to my current employer. Without getting into too much detail, I can say this - I come from a world where sports at a young age impacted my daily life. A place where teamwork, leadership, mentoring, and trust were the main factors that determined the success of a group of people. It is quite possible that the sports training is what has made it difficult for me to adapt to what can sometimes be a very challenging and biting corporate reality. Last week I posted a statement to my friends that summed up my feelings - it was this; once you know something, you cannot un-know it.

Simple really. To the point? Absolutely. I realized that sometimes the leadership in charge of the company or organization has never had the opportunity many of us have had to participate in sports as a teenager. In just my short career I have learned that sometimes the upper management is haphazard, unfair and unequal in treatment, and may not have the leadership or coaching skills it takes to be a successful leader. At this point you may think you are reading the blog of a disgruntled employee - but please, keep reading.

This piece is not about being a disgruntled employee - it is simply a recording of the observations I have made in my life. As a professional, I feel it is my duty to share my views on just how important it is to have a good team leader, a coach, a teacher, or a mentor who can train a team, challenge them, help them grow, and help them succeed. As the old adage goes, "You succeed, I succeed."

Sports was an integral part of my life as a teenager and into college. It was there that some of my best times were had and it is there that some of my lasting memories were born. It was there that I learned that positive re-enforcement and genuine concern for your team members - combined with an honest interest in seeing them succeed was the way to go. What I learned from my short days as an athlete inspired me to continue those practices and leadership skills and to apply them to the "real-world". In short - let the kids play! The kids turn into adults, who will practice what they have learned as children and will apply those skills to others. Let them learn how to participate on a team. Let them learn how to encourage others. Let them learn that when the team succeeds - everyone succeeds!