Russ Sarratt - Team Work: 13 Timeless Principles for Creating Success and Fulfillment as a Team Member

Advance Praise for
Team Work

People are the secret sauce of all organizations. In their new book Team Work , Russ and Rusty provide a guidebook for developing individuals into engaged and fulfilled team members resulting in thriving and successful teams.

Dan T. Cathy , Chairman & CEO, Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Being part of a highly performing team is a powerful experience in every imaginable way, but it is very rare in life to be a member of such a teamone that combines together so well that it makes achieving and success look easy. The core reasons why teams are dysfunctional are not secrets, but some people dont have the awareness and skills to contribute in a positive and productive way. This book Team Work will provide readers with a to-the-point guide on how to be a great team member, how to create a functional team, and the keys to being a leader of such teams. Being part of a functional team or dysfunctional team is a choiceyour choice. The messages in this book will show that theres really only one option.

Nathan Faavae , Two-Time Eco-Challenge Winner and Six-Time Adventure Racing World Champion

Russ and Rusty share a vision to see people and organizations transformed through the powerful impact of servant leadership and high performing teams. Both leaders consistently prioritize team success and model personal excellence in their lives, uniquely positioning them as clear experts on the principles of teamsmanship shared in Team Work . Reading this book is an experience in active learning: each chapter is written with a winsome, practical, and inspiring approach, complete with reflection questions and action-driven challenges for the leader. Team Work outlines a clear and achievable path for helping people realize their full potential and truly thrive within their spheres of influence, and I am confident many lives will be changed as a result!

Tammy Preston , Executive Director, BlueSky Global

Several years ago we partnered with Russ, Rusty, and the staff of WinShape Teams to invest in the lives of leaders in our company. At Shaw, we believe in developing people to be better both at home and at work, and WinShape Teams shares those values. People are our most valuable resource, and we are proud to trust the team at WinShape with ours. I am confident the principles Russ Sarratt and Rusty Chadwick share in Team Work can bring forth lasting change in any team.

Mike Fromm , Chief Human Resources Officer, Shaw Industries

Building productive, inspiring, and rewarding high-performing teams is a complex challenge. In Team Work , Russ Sarratt and Rusty Chadwick provide a comprehensive blueprint to help leaders and organizations create and sustain fulfilling teams. The thirteen principles are guideposts that unleash the potential of teams like weve never seen before. More importantly, the principles establish a legacy that future teams can build upon for generations.

John Oldham , Assistant Chief, Jacksonville Sheriffs Office

WellSpring Egypt has partnered with WinShape Teams since 2009. When they train us in team work, they help us to unite as one team to serve thousands of children in an amazing, effective way. Throughout our partnership, the word that is most visible and draws us toward WinShape is serving. They serve us humbly and meet our needs despite the culture and circumstances. I am excited to see how Team Work will change communities around the world as these values have already impacted Egypt greatly.

Maged Fawzy , CEO and Founder, WellSpring Egypt

A FIDELIS BOOKS BOOK

An Imprint of Post Hill Press

Team Work:

13 Timeless Principles for Creating Success and Fulfillment as a Team Member

2020 by WinShape Foundation

All Rights Reserved

ISBN: 978-1-64293-527-1

ISBN (eBook): 978-1-64293-528-8

Cover design by Joe Cavazos

Author photos by Jessie Morales

Interior design and composition, Greg Johnson, Textbook Perfect

Although every effort has been made to ensure that the personal and professional advice present within this book is useful and appropriate, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any person, business, or organization choosing to employ the guidance offered in this book.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publisher.

Post Hill Press

New York Nashville

posthillpress.com

Published in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Contents

I t doesnt have to be that way.

I wish I knew how many times we have uttered that phrase after encountering an unhealthy team or an unfulfilled team member. It has almost become a mantra in our work with teams around the world. A disappointed team member who feels left out of a decision. A frustrated leader who cant gain buy-in from the team. A collective goal never achieved. A relationship that goes from strong to strained. An individual who, because of a toxic or dysfunctional team culture, goes home depleted every day with nothing left to invest in the relationships that matter most. It doesnt have to be that way.

Having spent the balance of our careers learning and leading at a nonprofit called WinShape Teams, we have been blessed to work with teams of all sizes and industries. We have worked with some of the best teams in the world, and we have also worked with some pretty bad ones. We have met team members who are thriving and, unfortunately, many more who are not. While we know there will always be difficulty and struggles to overcome, we believe the life of a team should be hope-filled rather than hopeless. We believe a team should accomplish more than an individual. We believe teams should propel you forward rather than hold you back.

WinShape Teams has been developing stronger, better-connected teams and leaders since 1991. Along the way, weve pinpointed what makes for a healthy culture and happy people and put those findings into programs that have helped tens of thousands of people find purpose and clarity in their work. Our purpose is simplebuild strong, healthy, fulfilling teams that change the world around them.

We wrote this book to share many of the lessons we have learned as an organization over the last thirty years. We believe work happens best in a healthy community and culture. Work should be a place where purposes are accomplished and people are fulfilled. This is why we strive to equip and inspire people to step from good to great and to make their work environment a place where people come alive as they work alongside others. We believe when you prioritize people and purpose, you bear the fruit of meaningful and sustained results.

You may think, My team could never be like that. We believe it can. Your team can be healthy and successful, and you have more control over that outcome than you may realize. It all begins with you and a choice you can make to serve others, putting the team before self. This decision, and the actions following, can spark a new direction that changes your team forever. And it is not only about the team. Your personal success and fulfillment can grow as the teams success and fulfillment grows. In the end, we all win or none of us do. It is our sincere hope that this book helps you and your team win in all the ways that matter most.