Finding the “ME” in TEAM

I’ve heard it forever: “There’s no ‘I’ in TEAM.”  Since I literally AM my business, perhaps it was only natural that I worked as a sole practitioner.
 
However, when I receive requests to provide graphic recording training, I always liked the idea of apprenticeships over group workshops.  So when two people lately expressed interest in learning more about the practice, I invited them to shadow me on Dell’s Education Think Tank event during the ISTE 2012 conference to get a feel for what it’s really like… requesting that they arrive to observe set-up, and stay through the tear-down.”Observe,” I said.
 
But observation didn’t last for long.  These two ladies wanted to pitch in.  So I got them started on cutting and mounting paper to the boards while I spoke with the client for a short pre-event meeting.  And once the event got under way, they were meant to observe.
 
But then I thought, “maybe one of them wants to try their hand at color-fill.”  (my style is to ink things out in black, then go back and hit them with color.)  So I looked over to the closest intern, caught her eye, tapped quickly on a heart, held out a red marker, and raised my eyebrow in invitation.  She lit up and came over to the board.  While she was at work, I caught the other intern’s eye, pulled an orange marker, tapped at a large question mark, and raised my eyebrow with a grin.
 
Within minutes, we had found our groove: I was focusing on the content capture and inking while my two ready assistants were applying the color-fill themes that were emerging (speech bubbles get this color applied in this way,  light bulbs get these two colors etc.)  And as each 45-minute talk came to an end, my team would pick up the completed recording’s board, remove it from the easels, place it on the set of display easels waiting on the side, take a few pictures (like the one at the top of this post,) and complete any finishing color work while I kept on recording the new phase of the conversation.
 
Wait a second.  Back up the bus.  I said “my team” did these things.
 
I was working with a team.
 
Me.  Sole practitioner Jeannel.  Self-contained, one-stop shop Jeannel. The one who takes pride in being able to everything involved with her business for her clients by herself.  The one who always tells people “nope, I’ve got it, thanks!” when they ask if they can help me even hang paper for a project.
 
I was working with a team.  And I liked it.  A LOT.
 
At the end of the day (and it was a long day!), we debriefed on what the experience was like for them.  And as these two gals buzzed with excitement about their insights, opportunities, challenges, and a-ha moments, I had one of my own:

There may not be an “I” in “TEAM,”  but the makings for “ME” in “TEAM” have been there all along.

What a relief!