Have you ever considered abandoning the terms "staff" or "employees" for the more inspiring moniker of "team"?

Think about the teams you have been involved with - haven't those teams meant a lot to you? Didn't the success of the team mean more to you in some cases than your own needs?

When you are part of a true team, you want to do whatever it takes to contribute something of value. Your focus is not on your personal success, but the success of the team as a whole.

The same passion and drive can be created within a business "team" when the spirit and principles that rule the traditional team come into play in the work environment.

Principles like respecting the rules of the game, understanding our roles as players, coaches, and assistants, and harnessing team members' various skills and strengths rather than focusing on their weaknesses are all key to creating a winning team. Open communication to get the game won, the job well done, is another positive practice.

To achieve a successful team approach, thought, it takes more than a name change. Productive teams are infused with an energizing spirit that draws the participants together into a cohesive unit and has everyone pulling together to reach a common goal. Defining that common goal is a good way to initiate your team.

Once your goal is set, there are many ways to help instill a sense of teamwork, including group challenges, team building exercises, and the promotion of a team culture where the values we see on sporting fields or at home, apply to the office. The ultimate result is an organization where the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.