Teamwork: Building Thought Alignment in Your Business

Napoleon Hill, the author of "Think and Grow Rich" called the human brain "a broadcasting and receiving station for thought."

Hill made this statement nearly 100 years ago. He saw the power of teamwork . . . building a "working alliance" between a business owner and her staff.

This alliance was forged through effective use of open and honest discussion; on the docket, people's problems.

Each person on the team simply contributing his or her thoughts to the "knowledge pool" helped solve problems, draw connections, and develop the group's "common knowledge."

What makes this technique so powerful is that each individual, speaking from their own experience and knowledge based, adds value and insight to all the members of the team or group.

Hill Called It the "Master Mind"

He said it brought clarity where none existed before. . . this is team building at it's most effective and ironically it's most rudimentary.

"Organized effort" writes Hill, "is produced through the coordination of two or more people, who work toward a definite end, in a spirit of harmony."

This is insightful on many levels, most of all it points out why most teams fail. . . they don't work in harmony.

For Hill, teamwork, building a group of people "who work toward a definite end, in a spirit of harmony" is the quintessential definition of team building.

The Power of Teamwork: Building a "Third Mind"

Hill took three steps toward building his "Master Mind" through the accumulation and the sharing of knowledge:

• Infinite Intelligence
• Accumulated Experience
• Experiment and Research

Three elements essential to convert knowledge into power, but ultimately the missing element of the "power of teamwork" is other people.

A "cooperative alliance," as Hill describes it, "No two minds can come together, without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind."

Creating "Thought" Alignment

Teamwork is the only way to multiply your brainpower exponentially. But to really harness the potential of the group, you must associate with people who reflect the values and principles you want to emulate in the group, "[people] take on the nature and the habits and the power of thought of those whom they associate in a spirit of harmony."

History Has Proven Hill Right.

For good and bad, people have used the power of the "third mind" principle to influence millions of people's lives. Leaders have united, divided, killed, and persecuted using this powerful concept of uniting for a specific purpose.

Look at the last century. . . how many unbelievable things have happened at the result of someone using the "third mind" principle. Of course many of the events you think about are atrocities.

The ability to leverage the group's teamwork, building a "Master Mind" of associates is the ultimate goal of any business owner or manager.

Developing the skills is imperative because in this intensely competitive day and age, the ability to recruit and retain your core team is essential to the long-term viability in any business.

Unconventional Teamwork: Building a Diversified Team

If building a core "Master Mind" group for your business is essential to your success, then it is essential you find the right people to join your team.

Strive for the "Right" Person:

• Personality
• Purpose
• Attitude
• Chemistryes
• Knowledge

These are all important elements to look for in others, when you find the right people, you'll know it.

Take these steps and teamwork, building alignment in your business will become a pleasure rather than a chore.