The first time I opened this book was during my first day as a penguin. We were supposed to find definitions to the TA concepts and instead of an answer the 2nd year students handed us this book. Before I have only read How to grow into a Teampreneur, which was more of a bedtime story – but this book clearly consisted in comparison of some hard facts with a bit of explanation.
At the beginning it was a bit overwhelming because there was too much information at once, so I just used what I needed at that moment. And then, when I had new questions, I searched in this book again. But I realized that this book is lacking some context I need at that time. The name says it anyways – its Team Coaches Best Tools, and the coaches probably already know what is behind the tools – so this extract in enough for them. But not for a curious penguin, so I grabbed a book called “A true story about a community, that learns by doing,” which was much more convenient and answered the questions I was having at that time.
I worked more with this book during my second year, when I dived into The Rocket model. Suddenly I found the tools easier to understand and was able to picture a system in my head of everything that is written there. But I took a too literally. I thought this book has all the answers – but it doesn’t. The answers are in people, and they may change on the given context. So, I rather got inspired by what’s written there and used what I can for mine, teams, and community’s development, by looking more on the purpose of the tool rather than on the actual precise definition. To get to this point, you need to have something to build this knowledge on, which was also with the help of the books Fifth Discipline and The Knowledge Creating Company I have read.
But why should I even care about some Rocket Model or tools we are supposed to use in Tiimiakatemia when I can just do the least that is asked from me and then do my business? Well, my reason at the beginning was, that I wanted to TRUST THE PROCESS, but to do that I needed to find out, what the process, that I am trusting so much, is. And I found out way more.
I found out, that the things we are “asked” to fulfill here are not random requirements. They fall into a complex system, that supports us in becoming the version of us, we want to become. That comes along with building an amazing team and a community of people, that we will be a part of forever. But it starts with us. And whatever reason you find for yourself to study at this school, if you do not trust the process – you will come out only half the version as you could have been. You are doing it for yourself, so when else, then now?
And you do not have to read complex books to understand a complex system if your faith in what we are doing here, is strong enough without it. In the end it is quite simple. Just have fun, follow your passion and trust that the tools stated in this book will pay off to you.
And one last thought. How many of us have read this book and are not using the tools, just because we said to ourselves “we do not do that here,”? Since when do we have this approach with a book we read? There is always new knowledge, that we try to bring into a practice. Then why not with this one as well? It takes one person to start doing, what they believe is right, if we want to change things. And the others will catch on it like a snowball. So, it can be me, it can be you or it may be no one.
I hope we stop looking into this book like into a bible, being sad about what we do not have and start building the world we want by finding inspiration and motivation in there.
*and read "A true story about a community, that learns by doing" - if you do not understand this book yet.
