Who Are the Fantastic People On Your Organizing Team?
Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at 5:25PM 
When we need help, we don't always think about building a team. It’s more common to think that we can or should do everything ourselves. Maybe we consider enlisting help from one person, but a team? Not so much.
In the last few years, I've realized the importance of building teams that are invested in a single purpose. While we can accomplish a lot on our own, creating a team can greatly influence the outcome and experience in positive ways. Teams have many advantages that include reducing stress, boosting creativity, increasing fun and providing emotional support. The teams I focused on building in the last two years were Team Wilma and Team ICD.
Wilma is my mom and has vascular dementia. She's always been fiercely independent, so the idea of enlisting help has never been one of her strengths. She was the person that helped others, which is something I admired and found inspiring.
At a point it became clear that I needed to gather a team of people, affectionately named, Team Wilma, to help us navigate life with the changes happening because of her illness. Keeping her safe, healthy, and happy has been our number one priority. Without family, friends, caregivers, medical professionals, and household vendors, this would be have been daunting to manage. I am so grateful for all the people that love my mom and are part of Team Wilma.
Building Team ICD was one of the top priorities when I became ICD (Institute for Challenging Disorganization) President in 2014. I knew that without our current, incoming Board and management team working together, we were going to have a difficult time accomplishing our many initiatives. We invested in getting to know each others' strengths, doing team building exercises, strengthening communication, and working towards shared goals to benefit ICD.
On July 1st, I handed the baton to Sue West, the current ICD President. I'll remain on the Board (team) for another year as Immediate Past President, but it will be Sue that will lead us. It was a wonderful feeling to pass on this strong, well-meshed team.
All teams require effort, patience, nurturing, and adjustments. Sometimes team members get added or subtracted. Each member adds value. The key is harnessing that value and making each member feel appreciated and essential.
As you think about getting organized, are you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated? Are you trying to do everything on your own? Maybe it's time to build your team...Team Organize! Who will be the fantastic members of your team? Will you enlist help from friends, family and professional organizers? Will you need donation resources or removal professionals? Will you enlist additional emotional support from a therapist or coach? Going it alone is possible, but building a team of people that are focused on a common goal to help you can make all the difference.
Who will you include on Team Organize? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!
Linda Samuels, CPO-CD
® is a compassionate, enthusiastic professional organizer, coach, author & blogger who facilitates change in others' lives. A recent empty-nester, she lives with her husband in a small, colorful home with a purple front door.
Reader Comments (7)
You did an amazing job with ICD, Linda. I hear nothing but positive comments about your high quality education, amazing conference, and thorough support of all who work with the chronically disorganized. My hat is off to you! I also send love to Wilma, who is lucky to have YOU on her team! I have to toss my hat to NAPO-CT. We worked together in a new way this summer, overhauling and organizing the garage of a contest winner in the state of CT. As the president, I couldn't have been more proud and thankful for the team-orientation of everyone involved. The whole experience reminded me again that professional organizers who up to serve... not to judge, or criticize, or even to advance careers. POs are the most accomplished and humble of professionals, and I am thankful to get to be a part of this wonderful community!
Team effort is what I love. When you are a team player, you are always creating new teams to work together in your personal and professional life.
If it's unnatural to you to ask for help or build a team, ask yourself who can make your task or project more fun? That's a great start to building a team.
@Seana- Thank you for your kind, supportive words. Congratulations to your Team NAPO-CT! What a great project (the garage contest) to work on as a team. From your description, it sounds like you were able to bring out the best in each other while working on a shared goal. I agree with you about the service aspect of the work we do. Like you, I'm also grateful for being part of the organizing community.
@Ellen- It's awesome when each team member puts forth effort towards the goal. I know you're an experienced team player and builder... and soon you'll be building a very special team when you become NAPO President. I know with all your experience and leadership skills that you've been honing personally and professionally, you'll be an amazing leader.
Your tip about starting small for building that team is a great suggestion. Particularly with building Team Wilma, that's how I began, especially since I was in uncharted territory.
I am just in the early stages of Chair in my POC chapter, but i aim to build that strong team, we all have great ideas and strength. We all need a team, something i have learned this year in particular, business can not grow in a bubble, and by letting others help you give something back to them as well.
As Founder and Director of the Golden Horseshoe Virtual Assistants Group, I am well aware of the importance of having a team. We are a small group (about 20 members) so I'm able to manage most things on my own, but we've recently expanded our geographic reach thanks to volunteers running meetings in another city. We're going to participate in a major trade show this fall - this wouldn't even be on the table if it were strictly up to me, but with the help of my committee, we're going to rock it!
Here's what's funny, Linda: So, I read your 'organizing team' post yesterday and didn't even realize I had put together an organizing team of my own (for my two moves in a year) until you mentioned it in a comment on my blog. Thanks for raising my awareness yet again with your writing and astute observations!
@Jill- Congratulations on stepping up to Chair in your POC Chapter. I wish you all the best as you build your team. I know you'll bring together a great group and do wonderful work together.
@Janet- Wow! The trade show sounds like an amazing event...and to think that it's all possible because you created a team and you helped each other stretch. The power of the group is unmistakeable. Wishing you continued growth and success.
@Stacey- That's so funny that you didn't realize the awesome job you did in putting together your Team Move! And what a great team you assembled too :) Wishing you all the best of happiness in your newly renovated home. Many thanks for your kind words of support.