The Impact of Trust

Teamwork: "There comes a moment on great crews that transcends anything the individual could have ever accomplished on their own. When most men talk about their perfect moments in a boat, they refer not so much to winning a race as to the feel of the boat, all eight oars in the water together… the synchronization almost perfect. In moments like that, the boat seems to lift right out of the water. Oarsmen call that the moment of swing. Olympics contender John Bigelow loved that moment, but what he liked most about it was that it allowed you to trust the other men in the boat… A boat did not have swing unless everyone was putting out in exact timing. Because of that, and only because of that, there was the possibility of trust among the team. That moment of 'swing' is what happens when all the members of your team are working together as one – when every member is pulling for every other member, and the thoughts of 'we' have become the most important thing. There must be a conscious effort to blend all the skills and strengths, setting aside 'what's good for me – personal glory' and embracing 'what's good for the team – collective accomplishment'. This is never easy." — David Halberstam, The Amateurs