Guest Blogger Jennifer Arden shares her thoughts on Teamwork:

Teamwork is a concept that is talked about in many aspects of life. Many college graduates can remember the lectures and discussions on team building and team cohesion. The importance of teamwork is drilled into our heads even as young children. My 4-year-old son watches a TV show that’s sole purpose is to teach him teamwork. So, it comes as no surprise that teamwork can make or break an organization.

I’ve had several jobs in my years in the workforce, but I don’t think I had ever experienced truly great teamwork until I came to work at the American Cancer Society. I remember my first week as an American Cancer Society employee. I was in awe of how well everyone worked together. In some of my previous jobs, some of the employees could barely finish the necessary daily tasks and tension was always lurking. But even after one week, I could tell that it was not that way at my new job. This group of employees was so eager to help one another to get the job done. I have to admit that I was curious. Why was it that this group of people managed to build such a strong team? I would like to briefly share why I believe teamwork is so strong at the American Cancer Society.

First, we have all come together for the same purpose: to fight cancer. All of us have been touched in some way by this horrible disease. Each one of us has our reasons why we want to fight back. We keep our eyes on the goal.

Second, each team member recognizes that every task, no matter how small, plays a huge part in getting the job done. While we each have our own part to play in reaching the goal, the final goal is dependent on the participation of everyone.

Third, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Our team knows we are able to go to one another for help. If I am in over my head and just don’t have the time to finish a project by the deadline, there is no shortage of teammates who are willing to help. If I don’t understand, I know I can ask for clarification.

A great team communicates well and always keeps their focus on the goal. I am proud to be on a team that can put aside differences and get the job done. Teamwork can be one of the greatest assets of any organization.

I thought I was done learning!

So a typical expectation from a college graduate might be – "Great! No more sitting in a class, taking notes, and writing papers. No more being tested by your professor or working on projects with classmates. No more learning!" I’ve got news for you. You never stop learning. Or let me rephrase, you should never stop being willing to learn. Now, that might get you in trouble – for me, my husband rolls his eyes every time I bring home a new book, or I want to incorporate some new thing into our diet because I’ve read about it and done some research on-line. However, I’d have to say a typical response I have to anything life throws at me is "This is a learning experience." Through my 14 years with the American Cancer Society, let me tell you, I’ve had plenty of learning experiences – learning about the disease of cancer both professionally and personally; the courage of cancer patients and caregivers; how to manage and interact with a variety of cultural differences and experiences. I've learned to coordinate events, plan and implement strategies, and to jump over the obstacles that threw themselves in our way! But I’d have to say the unstructured experiences I’ve had have left their mark and broadened my horizons just as much as specific projects. I was recently at a Dale Carnegie training in Chicago that I was able to attend because I’m lucky enough to be part of our National Leadership Development Program. What is the "National Leadership Development Program"? Well, I’ll get to that in a minute. At the Dale Carnegie class, there were some exercises that required us to step outside, and I mean OUTSIDE, our comfort zone. I was unafraid to step up, speak up, and I know it's because I've learned to be that leader through the American Cancer Society. The National Leadership Development program is an investment in our organization’s staff, not just in developing specific skills to make us better at our jobs, but to develop our careers. I also see it as recognition, recognition for the jobs well done, but also of the organization’s belief in my abilities to continue doing an even better job, and helping others do the same. Not many companies provide these types of experiences for their staff, or this type of recognition. I guess I need to keep learning then, right? So....what's next? Jennifer Agee, Guest Blogger Director, CRM Great Lakes Division