This week’s focus on “Systems” is a good place to consider the importance of Teamwork. At NASA, systems engineering and systems thinking are crucial to our success. To us, mission success requires an uncompromising commitment to: Safety, Excellence, Teamwork, and Integrity.
We describe teamwork as NASA’s most powerful tool for achieving mission success, through a multi-disciplinary team of diverse competent people across all NASA locations (9 other field Centers besides the Johnson Space Center where I work in Houston, Texas). Our approach to teamwork is based on a philosophy that each team member brings unique experience and important expertise to project issues. Recognition of and openness to that insight improves the likelihood of identifying and resolving challenges to safety and mission success. We are committed to creating an environment that fosters teamwork, collaboration, continuous learning, and openness to innovation and new ideas.
In 2001, John Maxwell wrote The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork.
Click here to learn more about those laws.