SLE Title: “The Three Indisputable Laws of Teamwork”

SAMUEL H. AQUINO JR.

I. Learning Objectives
1. To understand the Law of the Big Picture
a. To define what is the Law of the Big Picture
b. To identify steps in applying the law of the Big Picture
2. To comprehend the Law of Communication
a. To define what is the Law of Communication
b. To identify the reasons for embracing the Law of Communication
c. To recognize the different steps in improving team communication
3. To realize the Law of the Chain
a. To define the Law of the Chain
b. To identify the results of keeping a weak link
c. To distinguish the steps in applying the Law of the Chain
II. Orientation

Greetings
A very good morning/ afternoon to you my friends! It is indeed a great pleasure
for us to come here in your place to share with you our skills and knowledge about
successful teamwork.
Teamwork, as we all know, is very essential to everyday living. I am, personally, a
strong advocate of the fact that by no means can a man do anything on his own.
Let us be honest on this one, there is no mistaking that our society is a strong
proponent of individualism. Look at those awards they give on TV, most of the time it
emphasizes on solo achievement. One perfect example of this is the Lone Ranger.
We are all familiar of Rambo, the man who brought down a band of enemies on
his own. Actually, he wasn’t even alone! Oh no my friends, there is Tonto. Yes, his horse.
And I tell you this, without the horse it would have been impossible for him to do it all.
Yes, Rambo is not alone in proving the idea of teamwork. Here comes Albert
Einstein, the great revolutionary thinker of the 20th century whose brainchild is the ever-
sought-of nuclear technology. Einstein genius didn’t happen in a vacuum. Einstein once
remarked, “many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built
upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert
myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”
Forgive the cliché but the truth is ever present in the axiom, “behind every able
man are other able men.”
Make no mistakes my dear fellows. Open up your minds and embrace the fact
that one is too small a number to achieve greatness.

Invocation
Now, before we start to do anything, may we first implore the blessings of the
Almighty. I’m calling on ________ to lead us the invocation.
 Introduction
Everyday, in some way, you are a part of a team. The question is not, Will you
participate in something that involves others? The question is, will your involvement
with others be successful? A question we cannot deny to be of great truth.
Everyone knows that teamwork is a good thing; in fact; it’s essential! But how
does it really work? What makes a winning team? Why do some teams go straight to the
top, seeing their vision become reality, while others seem to go nowhere?
These questions don’t have simple answers. If they did, sports would have more
back-to-back world champions. The answers of which we try to find out here.
Just about everything you do depends on teamwork. It doesn’t matter whether
you are a leader or a follower. No matter who you are, if you learn and apply these laws,
your teamwork capacity will increase.
Many people want and answer to the question, “What the one thing I need to
know about teamwork?” Now that is a real question. We want instant knowledge to
revolutionize our team. And my answer goes like, “the one thing you need to know
about teamwork is that there is more than one thing you need to know about
teamwork.”
It is a process. Enjoy it, and give it your best, and never forget that no matter
what you want to do in life, it takes teamwork to make the dream work.

Activity title: “Pass me the Treasure”

III. Instructions
1. The group will be divided into three groups of equal numbers by making the
participants count-off in numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4
2. Those who count-off number 1 will belong to group 1, those who count-off 2 on
Group 2, 3 on Group 3, and 4 on Group 4.
3. The group will choose as their leader the person whom they perceive is able to
lead them.
4. Each group will occupy one bench. Group 1 on the first, 2, on the second, and so
on.
5. Facilitators will be assigned for each group. Facilitator 1 on Group 1, Facilitator 2
on Group 2, Facilitator 3 on Group 3, and Facilitator 4 on Group 4.
6. He will then tell the participants the following instructions (same instructions are
applicable to all three groups):
a. “Our activity if called ‘Dama el Hombre’.”
b. “This activity follows the rules of a traditional popular dama game except
for the following modifications:
i. “There will be a 6x6ft dama board laid on the ground composed
of 36 1x1ft squares. This will serve as our game board.”
ii. “Instead of the conventional dama pieces, 5 participants from
your team (which you will decide as a group) will play as the
designated pieces.”
 iii. “Traditional rules of eating an enemy piece by traversing one
block diagonally through him applies to our activity.”
iv. “Also, when a team member reaches the last row of the opposite
teams side, that team member is granted the powers of a dama.
The dama has the ability to traverse longer distances than the
ordinary piece.”
v. “However, there will unique instructions given to each member”
(except for the chosen leader) which are the following (each strip
of paper is colored differently for the facilitator to recognize):
1. Black: “You will not listen to your leader. He/she is trying
to deceive and make your team loose because he is
instructed to do so.”
2. Green: “You will be mute. You cannot say any word
throughout the whole activity. You can only use signs but
no verbal communications. If you violate this, your group
will automatically be disqualified.”
3. Blue: “You will be blind. While the game is going on you
cannot peek through your blindfold. If you violate this,
your team will be automatically disqualified.”
4. Orange: “You will be blind. While the game is going on you
cannot peek through your blindfold. If you violate this,
your team will be automatically disqualified.”
5. Yellow: “You are your leader’s right hand. You will support
him in his choices. You will encourage him.”
6. Pink: “You are free to do what you want.”
7. Red: “You are the leader. The person your group has
chosen was actually a conspiracy between your group
mates and him. Be the leader.”
vi. “Your assigned facilitator will have a box go around your group
from which you will pick up a piece of paper containing your
unique specific instructions.”
vii. “I want those who pick up blue, black, red and pink to keep secret
what their instructions are. Don’t tell anyone. The moment you
reveal it to your group while on activity will automatically mean
disqualification.”
viii. “Meanwhile, those who picked green, blue, and orange are free
relate your instructions to the group. Your facilitators will assist
the blindfolding of the blind. The blind will automatically be a
piece in your team’s dama board Those who are mute will not
speak starting now.”
c. “The Goal of the game is to consume most if not all of your opponent’s
pieces in the least time.”
d. “You will have 15 minutes to finish and win a match.”
 e. “The first game will be the simultaneous matches of Group 1 vs. Group 3
and Group 2 vs. Group 4.”
f. “A final round between the winners of the first two matches will follow.”
g. “Do you have any questions?”
h. “I am now giving you a 5 minute time to think as a group about this
activity. Timer starts now.

IV. Experiencing
1. After the group buzzing, the Facilitators in each group will ensure that the blind
is blindfolded and the mute is silent.
2. The Over-all Facilitator will instruct everyone to proceed to their respective
game boards and position their chosen pieces.
3. Facilitator 1 will be the Game Master of the match between Group 1 and Group
3 and Facilitator 2 on Group 2 and Group 4.
4. The over-all facilitator is now to say the words “Are you ready? Then, Shoot!”
5. The Facilitators assigned in each group will ensure the accurate understanding
and following of instructions by observing the participants.

V. PROCESSING

1. Data Gathering
a. After the activity, each group will be given 5 minutes to discuss what had
happened in the activity. Everyone may now reveal their instructions.
b. Then, a questionnaire and a blank paper will be given to the leaders.
c. The questionnaire contains data-gathering questions to be answered in the blank
paper for 15 minutes time.
d. The three groups will choose their secretary to record their group’s answers and
as well a reporter to share their answers to the whole group.
e. The facilitators assigned to each group will guide the discussions and ensure that
everyone participates with the activity.
f. The questionnaire will contain the following questions:
i. What do you think is the biggest contributor to winning the activity?
Elaborate.
ii. What strategy did you use or do you think is most effective for the
activity?
iii. What is the effect of those different and contrasting roles? Were those a
hindrance to winning?
iv. In your group, what did the mute felt when he was unable to speak?
v. If you were all mutes, what could have happened?
vi. What would have happened had there been complete enforcement of
silence during the activity?
vii. What or who were your team’s weaknesses during the activity? What
were the effects?
 viii. Had you done anything to compensate for these weaknesses? What were
these?
g. After the 15-minute time answering the questions, the reporters will relate their
answer in 5 minutes.
h. After the reporting, the Facilitator will give a brief summary of all their answers.
2. Synthesis

Lecturette: “The Three Indisputable Laws of Teamwork”

The Law of Significance

”One is too small a number to achieve greatness”
- Which people do you admire most? Business innovators like Bill Gates, great
athletes like Michael Jordan, creative geniuses like Pablo Picasso, pop culture
icons like Britney Spears, spiritual leaders like Mother Teresa, Political leaders
like Alexander the Great, Film industry giants like Steven Spielberg, or
revolutionary thinkers like Albert Einstein. Or maybe your list includes people in
a filed I didn’t mention.
- As much as we admire solo achievement, that truth is that no lone individual has
done anything of value. The belief that one person can do something great is a
myth. Nothing of significance was ever achieved by an individual acting alone.
Look below the surface and you will find that all seemingly solo acts are really
team efforts.
- The truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great achievement. The question is
not whether teams have value. The question is whether we acknowledge the
fact and become better team players.
- “There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can
solve by ourselves.” – Pres. Lyndon Johnson
- Why do we stand alone? Knowing all that we do about the potential of teams,
why do some people still want to do things by themselves?
i. Ego – few people are fond of admitting that they can do everything, yet
that is the reality of life. There are no supermen or superwomen. The
question is not whether you can do everything by yourself; it’s how soon
that you’re going to realize that you can’t.
ii. Insecurity – some individuals fail to promote teamwork because they feel
threatened by other people. Insecurity most often causes leaders to
surround themselves with weak people. Insecure leaders usually fail to
build teams because of one of two reasons: either they want to maintain
control over everything for which they are responsible, or they fear being
replaced by someone more capable.
iii. “We should not only use all the brains we have, but all that we can
borrow.” – Woodrow Wilson
iv. Naïveté – “If I had to do it all over again, I’d get help.” John Ghegan.
Some people naively underestimate the difficulty of achieving big things.
 v. Temperament – Some people aren’t very outgoing and simply don’t think
in terms of team building and team participation. Why take the journey
alone when you can invite others along with you?
vi. “Nobody is a whole team… we need each other. You need someone and
someone needs you. Isolated islands we’re not. To make this thing called
life work, we gotta lean and support. And relate and respond. And give
and take. And confess and forgive. And reach out and embrace and rely…
since none of us is a whole, independent, self-sufficient, super-capable,
all-powerful hotshot, let’s quit acting like we are. Life’s lonely enough
without our playing that silly role. The game is over. Let’s link up.” Chuck
Swindoll

The Law of the Big Picture

“The Goal is more important than the Role”
- “If a team is to reach its potential, each player must be willing to subordinate his
personal goals to the good of the team.” Bud Wilkinson
Steps in Acquiring the Law of the Big Picture
1. Look up at the Big Picture – everything starts with a vision. You need to have
a goal. Without one you cannot have a real team. “If you don’t know where
you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else” – Yogi Berra
2. Size up the Situation – one value of seeing the big picture is that it helps you
recognize how far you really are from achieving it.
3. Line up Needed resources – “it’s all right to aim high if you have plenty of
ammunition” – Hawley Everhart. The better resourced the team is, the fewer
distractions the players will have as they try to achieve their goal.
4. Call up the Right Players – when it comes to building a successful team, the
players are everything. If you don’t have the right people, you’re not going to
go anywhere.
5. Give Up Personal Agenda – Teams that win have players who continually ask
themselves, “What’s the best for the rest?” “No one of us is more important
than the rest of us” – Ray Kroc.
6. Step up to a Higher Level - only when players come together and give up
their own agendas can a team move to a higher level. That’s the kind of
sacrifice required for teamwork.

The Law of Communication

“Interaction Fuels Action”
Effective teams have teammates who are constantly talking to one another.
“Communication refers to the style and extent of interactions both among
members and between members and those outside the team. It also refers to the way
that memers handle conflicts, decision making, and day-to-day interactions.” – Wellins,
Byham, and Wilson.

Areas in need for developing the Law of Communication

 1. From leader to teammates
a. Be Consistent
b. Be Clear
c. Be Courteous
2. From teammates to leader
3. Among teammates
a. Being Supportive
b. Staying current
c. Being vulnerable
4. Between team and the public

The Law of the Chain

“The strength of the team is impacted by its weakest link”
No matter how much people try to rationalize it, compensate for it, or hide it, a
weak link will eventually come to light.

3 Truths of the Team Link

1. Not everyone will take the journey – some people don’t want to go.
2. Not everyone should take the journey – other people shouldn’t join a team
because it’s a mater of their agenda. They have other plans, and where you’re going
isn’t the right place for them.
3. Not everyone can take the journey – some people are just not capable of
keeping pace with their teammates or helping the group where it wants to go.

The Impact of the weak Link

1. The stronger members identify the weak one
2. the stronger members have to help the weak one
3. The stronger members come to resent the weak one
4. The stronger members become less effective
5. the stronger members question the leader’s ability

VI. Integration
1. The group will answer the following questions individually in a sheet of paper to be
provided by their assigned facilitators:
a. Law of the Big Picture
i. What goals are you currently pursuing? Are they bigger than your
life?
ii. Are you currently participating in something greater than yourself?
iii. Think about a team you are currently part of. What kind of attitudes
to the team members have when it comes to the big picture?
iv. Do they desire to do whatever it takes for the team to succeed? Or do
they desire to benefit only themselves?
v. What can you do to improve the group’s perception of the big
picture?
b. Law of the Chain
i. Evaluate yourself by putting a mark on the circle under the word self
for any issue that applies to you. And if you have real courage, ask our
spouse or a close friend to evaluate you by marking the circle listed
under the word Friend.
Evaluated by Possible Issues

Self Friend

0 0 Have trouble keeping pace with other team

members

0 0 Am not going to grow in my area of

responsibility

0 0 Have a hard time seeing the big picture

0 0 Have difficulty seeing my personal weaknesses

0 0 Have a tough time working with the rest of the

team

0 0 Consistent fail to fulfill expectations in area of

responsibility
 ii. How are you going to act personally on those people who seem to be
the weak link of your team?
c. Law of Communication
i. In a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 s the highest and 1 as the lowest, how are
you going to rate your current teams communication?
ii. What can you possibly do to enhance the communication of your
team?

VII. Logistics

Location:
Target Audience: 32 participants
Time duration: 45 minutes

Activity Materials
1. 32 strips of small paper
2. 4 boxes
3. 2 6ft x 6ft checkered board made of manila paper and cartolina
4. 8 Blindfolds