Fostering Teamwork and Leadership

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Overview

Chiefly comprised of University of Washington junior oarsmen, the 1936 American Olympic rowing team competed and won a gold medal at the Berlin Olympics. To succeed, the American team learned to work together to achieve their common goal—a gold medal.

Daniel James Brown’s book, The Boys in the Boat, explains that rowing is a collaborative sport. To succeed on an eight-oar rowing team, all eight rowers must adhere to their coxswain, the smallest person in the boat who also does not row.

A misinformed observer might think the coxswain is merely an observer, yet he is the boat's captain, who ensures proper steering and pacing. If the oarsmen do not heed the coxswain’s calls, the rowers will not move in perfect or near-perfect synchronization, and any small mistake can derail the team’s precise rhythm.

The 1936 Olympic rowing team developed not only an indefatigable will to win but also close friendships. The Boys in the Boat is not just the story of how the 1936 Olympic rowers perfected their technique and power; it is about how the nine teammates (eight oarsmen plus a coxswain) learned to work as a team, becoming lifelong friends in the process.

“What mattered more than how hard a man rowed was how well everything he did in the boat harmonized with what the other fellows were doing. And a man couldn’t harmonize with his crewmates unless he opened his heart to them. He had to care about his crew.” ~ Daniel James Brown, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin OlympicsHow does this story relate to you? You will be assigned to work on a project with a team of people who have different strengths, talents, and values. Like the 1936 Olympic rowing team, you must learn to work together as a team to achieve your goals. Learn to trust and listen to each other, just as the oarsmen listen to their coxswain. If you do, you will operate in sync and achieve your goals.

You might wonder why you have to be on yet another team, but great teams embody the principles of unity, leadership, and belonging: principles of Christlike leadership, a core value aligned with MCom 320. As you treat your teammates with Christlike charity, you will develop leadership skills that will differentiate you as you seek to create an "oasis of unity while celebrating diversity." Demonstrate your faith in Christ as you seek to be a team unifier.

READ the following pages and textbook chapter

Watch the following videos on collaboration