It's proven that employees that are recognized are more like to stick with a company and give their all to support it. It's no different in teams within the church. Recognizing the efforts of others is a great way to pay our debt to them, build the team's spirit and let them know exactly where they stand.

Communication is key in any relationship and is definitely important in a team. We're looking at 3 roadblocks to communication that any team needs to steer clear of. We must avoid presumption (assuming that everyone already knows the goal at hand), being impatient, and pride in order for communication within our teams to be successful.

Affirmation can be a powerful way to confirm someone's position in your team, encourage them to be dedicated to the task and breed a culture of "pay-it-forwardness" where people are affirming one another. Who can you encourage this week?

When we find ourselves on teams in life, we have to be loyal, consistent and show the people on our team that we can trust them if we want them to trust us. Any successful team establishes trust amongst the individual members. How can you inspire trust on the teams that you're on?

Successful teams are diverse but also inclusive. For our team (Christ's body) to be successful, we must accept our varied roles to serve the other parts. We need each other and we are in this together - we are many parts of the body, but we are altogether one. How can you make your team better?

Every team is made up of individuals who fill certain positions so that the team as a whole can find success. What spiritual gift has God given you and how can you use it to strengthen the team God has placed you in? How can you serve others to help achieve the collective goal?

Whether we are the ones doing the gossiping or the ones listening to the gossip or the ones being gossiped about, it's bad for everybody involved. How wonderful this world would be if we judged people by their own character and not what others have to say about them. We are better together when we refuse to tear others down with gossip.

A true friend will not ignore the weaknesses in your character but will rather point them out in love so that we can be better people. How can you be a loving friend who is both open to rebuke and also willing to give it to sharpen another?

We as Christians should be slow to anger because anger leads to foolishness, is divisive, and gives way to sin. We are better together, so how can we be like Christ and learn to keep from having a quick temper and instead forgive one another and not hold a grudge?

A dependable person is all to rare in our world today. A true friend doesn't falter or fail - they are a constant for their friends. Are you there when your friends need you as often as you expect them to be there for you? We are better together when we are unwavering in our love for each other.