Handling my things

If asked my preference I'd say, I prefer to handle my own things. I'm good at it and get a lot of satisfaction from doing it, but sometimes there's a need for someone else to handle my things and that occurred recently; I'll admit to feeling a little out of control when it happens but having my things handled is better than the alternative.

I was away from work, a small break I really needed, and had everything sorted and all my work things handled so didn't expect anything to pop up; but sometimes things just do and that's exactly what happened despite my best laid plans and intentions. Of course, I wasn't there to handle my thing.

The environment I operate in professionally is team oriented, not just in word or on the surface, the team ethos runs deep and each of us is willing, able and eager to roll up our sleeves and get down to work on behalf of someone else without any reward for it.

We know it's the right thing to do as team-players and right for the organisation and clients as well...There's no down-side.

It means we often do things for others that have no monetary value for us as individuals and such was the case last week when someone else handled my thing; I will get paid for it, they will not. But what goes around eventually comes around and I know at some stage I'll be handling someone else's thing and they'll get paid as has happened in the past.

I've worked in environments where the word team had no meaning; it was spoken about, there were posters and trainings and the rest of it but in practice there was none and I simply cannot abide working in environments like that. That's why I took so much time to determine whether the "team-ethos" my current employer told me about prior to accepting the role wasn't a fantasy; I doubted they could deliver what they said, (too good to be true and all), but in the time I've been there I have come to understand that it's exactly how they said it would be - a team environment in every sense - and that's quite fucken awesome.

There's many levels of results one can attain professionally however (I believe) results that come through a team effort are always going to be better than through a group of individuals all working separately; yes, a result may be gained either way but to gain it efficiently, with less stress or anxiety, less pressure and as as team is preferable. They say, teamwork makes the dream work, a dumb saying but it's true...much better things come through applying teamwork and that's what happens at my organisation which is why it's such a successful one, has the reputation it does and why people love working there.

I was very grateful to be away from work and yet have my thing handled and it felt so good having my thing handled and knowing it was handled professionally and to my own standards; when I arrived back I took over but not before thanking the individual who handled my thing and showing some genuine gratitude.

Do you like having someone handle your things or do you handle other people's things?

Have you ever worked in an environment that talked a big "team environment" game but didn't actually deliver it? Have you worked in a place where teamwork was an actual reality and well deployed? Tell me either way and how it went for you when you were there if you'd like.