A tight knit team is a group of competent individuals who care deeply about each other and are fiercely committed to their mission. They are highly motivated to combining their energy and expertise to achieve common objective. From our observation and studies on building teams, we have found three primary conditions that have to be met in order to attain higher levels of team performance and member satisfaction.

• Resources and Commitment
• Ownership and Heart
• Learning

These three conditions are heart and soul of teamwork but are not blueprints. Every team is unique, and requirements and details of its teamwork have to be worked out separately. Let’s look closer at condition number two – Ownership and Heart.

This condition necessary for teamwork to blossom requires that building teams occur from “inside out.” In other words, people have to work hard at developing “team friendly” attitudes, values and beliefs. Teamwork functions best when people believe it from heart and act or think with integrity and in a way that is aligned with basic team principles. Tightly knit teams are built on attitudes, mindset, and values as much as policies and systems to support them. At its most basic level key to unlocking power of teamwork “Genie” depends on willingness of team members to rub lamp of responsibility. Stake holders in team need a passion for personal management to “install” teamwork and to nurture it. The seeds of teamwork have to be planted, cared for, and developed by members themselves. As we stated before, building teams doesn’t come from outside in, it comes from inside out.

There is no question that “outside” forces will impact ease and speed with which teamwork takes hold. But those forces do not control heart and will of individuals. Each member is responsible for his/her actions to group. There are so many people who just don’t get idea of responsibility and yet these same people tell us that they can’t remember last time that they had a serious teamwork experience. Some say that they have never felt power, energy and enthusiasm that comes from a solid team experience.

All too often organization members are unaware of level and quality of teamwork that is going on around them. They are too busy competing against each other to think about it much. In any social structure, if people are not willing to take responsibility, get involved or become interested in what is going on, they deserve what little luck gives them. Members forgo their right to complain about level of morale and quality of work life when they don’t assume responsibility, assist in building teams, and help to foster teamwork.

The same thing is true with a job search cover letter. Unless you ASK employer for opportunity to be interviewed you probably won't hear phone ring. Decide today that every cover letter you write will contain your specific request for a job interview. ASK and you will receive!

If you don't land job interview, you certainly will not land job, so put first things first.