Teamwork

19 Individuals

This was no corporate team building training event. There were no instructions, no reading material, no lectures and no carefully constructed activities to teach us about team building and yet, if ever there was an example of the seamless transition from individual status to one high performing team, here it is.

In preparation for our Brighton to Barcelona challenge, we had a WhatsApp group and half a dozen Zoom meetings. Beyond this, most of the group had never met each other.

Meeting at Brighton for the first time, we greeted each other warmly and there was an immediate joviality that was to continue for the rest of our journey. Indeed, Jim’s jokes became a form of encouragement to propel me up the hills, whenever the going got tough.

Within 24hours, we were beginning to understand our group dynamics and without any formal planning, we began to recognise and provide support to each other. It might be in the form of offering medication to ease our many aches and pains, the offer of help for example, with luggage or route navigation technology. We photographed, videoed and interviewed each other for our respective social media networks, sharing our photos and videos footage. We shared links to each other’s blogs as we reflected on our respective journeys each evening.

Teamwork didn’t stop here though, it became apparent very early on that there was always someone ready to give words of encouragement or practical support to each other. Those who were very capable of cycling much faster would hang back with those of us who were slower. facilitating drafting to make our ride easier, taking the lead to remove the added responsibility of following the route or simply providing a reassuring presence. Checking ahead at junctions and indicating the road was clear by waving or shouting to those behind. There were so many examples of the selfless support that was extended to everyone in the group.

Chatter and laughter could be heard in every group and people dropped in and out of groups with comfort and ease. Our tour leaders took it in turns to sweep up at the back, Steve taking a more focussed approach to getting us to our destination and Paul, more easily persuaded by the lure of another coffee stop. Both competent, capable and reassuring by their presence.

Lunch and coffee stops were jolly events where we exchanged stories of our respective experiences from earlier that day. Likewise supper was inevitably a raucous event, tempered only by the fact that we needed to be ready to cycle at 7am the following morning.

Lasting friendships were borne and existing ones strengthened.

I’m familiar with the notion that ‘It’s about the journey, not the destination.’ For me it’s about the journey and the people who share that journey with us that are most important.

Goodbyes were said in the context of ‘until next time’……………