Great examples of teamwork, from ancient Rome to the natural world.

09.12.2020

Teamwork is a way of life at VouchForMe. We work together to modernize insurance, and our team insurance encourages safer driving and cuts the cost of premiums for groups of responsible drivers.

We can never overstate the importance of teamwork. Throughout history and even in the natural world, teams work together to motivate and support each other. Through collaboration, individuals achieve great heights. Today we’re taking a look at five examples of teamwork.

Apollo 11

In 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon, a momentous achievement in human history, which is yet to be surpassed. 

While these two men have gone down in history, they wouldn’t have made it off the ground without the support of a massive team. Over 300,000 men and women collaborated on the Apollo launch, from surveyors to the engineers, to the astronauts themselves. Every person that worked on the moon landing understood the goal they were working towards. This is best exemplified by President Kennedy’s conversation with a janitor when he visited Nasa in 1962. When the president asked him what he did, the man proudly replied. “I’m helping to put a man on the moon.”

The Black Mambas

The Black Mambas are an all-female team of rangers who patrol South Africa’s Kruger National park protecting Elephants and Rhinos from poachers. Working together, they travel through the park disarming traps, tracking and looking for signs of Poachers. Despite traveling through dangerous territory, the Black Mambas don’t carry weapons; Instead, they rely on teamwork, skills, and training. The results speak for their efforts. Since the team launched in 2013, the Black Mambas have reduced poaching incidents by 75%

The Black Mambas are a perfect example of a team working together successfully to achieve a shared goal.

The Black Mambas (Getty Images)

The Roman Army

Examples of teamwork went back to ancient times and were applied to ancient architecture, inventions, and war. An early application of military cooperation was the Roman’s testudo formation, commonly known as the tortoise. Standing On their own, each soldier was vulnerable, but by locking their shields together, they could cover their front, sides, and head, and the unit became almost invincible. Should a soldier testudo shirk their responsibilities and allow a weak spot, the whole unit would be at risk. For the Romans who used this tactic, good teamwork could be the difference between life and death.

We”ll never know how Stonehenge was built, but we can tell it was a team effort.

 The Ford Motor Company

Henry Ford had a vision. He wanted to build an efficient and affordable automobile that would be affordable for the average American worker. By working with others, he managed to achieve his goal. Along with his team of engineers and factory managers, Ford revolutionized assembly line production, making it possible to mass-produce cars, encouraging each worker to specialize in a role on the line. Ford understood the need to motivate his teams. By offering higher wages and more time off than other employers, Ford’s turnover was low, which allowed the company to retain the best workers, keeping the team together for longer.

Geese

Human teams could learn a lot about teamwork by observing Geese. Every winter, flocks of Geese take to the skies and work together to achieve their common goal of reaching a warmer climate. Common errors with human teams include lack of communication and allowing some members to take all the pressure while others coast through, but flocks of Geese never have these problems. As they fly, they honk loudly, motivating their tired teammates, and by flying in a V-shape formation, the leaders reduce air drag for those behind them. When the lead Goose is struggling, another one from the back swaps to give their companion a break. The result means that all members of the flock work and recover equally.

Whether in business, nature, or sport. Teamwork is a way for a group to achieve common goals, share the workload, and reduce costs. With VouchForMe’s team insurance, you can save up to 35% on your car insurance.

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