Humans have a unique advantage compared to any other species in the world, and that benefit is teamwork. Everything that we see today in society is a direct or indirect result of some level of teamwork. From the cars we drive, to the doors we open, to the elevators we ride to the 100th floor of the freedom tower, were built using teamwork. The main focal point of teamwork can be described in four words I will refer to as the four c’s. One of the most important c-words is communication. Almost everything man-made takes deep and complex communication known as language. The ability to take a thought from your head and relay that exact thought to someone else is done quite easily with language. Although the origin of language has been widely debated, the importance of it has not. All experts agree language has single-handedly set us apart from any other animal in the known universe. Many societies throughout history believed that language is the gift of the gods to humans. The most familiar is found in Genesis 2:20, which tells us that Adam gave names to all living creatures. This belief predicates that humans were created from the start with an innate capacity to use language (The Origin of Language, Edward Vajada). Communication goes further than language. One of the revolutionary ways humans have to communicate is telegraphically. Phones, mail, e-mail, text, satellites, television, all are superior ways we as the dominant species have to communicate to one another. Without these various ways of interacting, we would never be able to communicate with any countries oversees. They could be going through total apocalypse and we would be totally oblivious if it were not for today’s technology. The way the police catch criminals weigh heavily on the radios they have to converse with one another. Communication has an unlimited range of effectiveness and should never be taken for granted. The next c-word is closely related to communication, but to an elevated extent. This word is collaboration. The work of one individual mixed with the work of another to create one goal. We see this in our everyday lives as we go about the day. Even the double cheeseburger meal that you ordered last night took the collaboration of several people. The paved roads we drive and the street lights we mostly abide by take the collaboration of dozens of people, mainly whom do not know one another. The word “collaborate” comes from the Latin word “collaborare,” which means to “labor together.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2016) When I think of teamwork, I think of football teams, cheerleading squads, bodies of government, and workplace environments. It is hard to think of any sort of team or group of people in a situation where they are not required to work as a team. We may not think of collaboration when we think of these scenarios, but any process of more than one person is generally that of working together at some capacity. Conformity is another word that requires teamwork. This word speaks to more of a collaboration of minds and attitudes. We do things in life that conform to a group even when we are alone. When we go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning, we are conforming to a normal occurrence that most people conform to unless our occupation changes this style of living. Another example of social conformity is sitting on a couch while watching television. We all do it, but mainly because we have seen this behavior since we were small children. There are many ways you can either benefit or suffer from conformity. Your environment or social group can greatly influence how and what you conform to. In adolescence, we all make choices and are subjected to peer pressure. These are instances in which we decide to join a team of peers for a negative or positive reason. Helping a disabled veteran up a flight of stairs or breaking into an abandoned building are two very different examples of conforming as a team to achieve one goal. The last c-word that exhibits teamwork is cohesiveness, the state of working together or being united. Cohesiveness is the degree of attraction group feel toward one another and toward the group. Cohesiveness is very important when it comes to lasting as a team and working effectively as team. (Communicating in small groups, 2015) When you stick together, you show cohesion. If you have a group of people with different goals and different ways of achieving goals, you will undoubtedly have a hard time with the cohesiveness of your team. A group is in a state of cohesion when its members possess bonds linking them to one another and to the group as a whole. (Team Cohesiveness, Boundless.com) Cohesive teams communicate more effectively, leading to increased member satisfaction. There can also be negative consequences to group cohesion. If the social pressures of the group intensify, it may lead to resistance to change. My overall goal is to successfully develop and maintain a healthy level of all the four C’s to become a great team member of any group, whether social or professional. Teamwork is the key to any goal that involves more than just me. To help my family succeed in life or to build an empire from the ground up will require a great amount of communication, collaboration, conformity, and cohesiveness. One who understands the vitality of the four C’s will have a step ahead in realizing their goals. To build a successful team without any of the four points of teamwork will greatly affect the outcome of the mission.

Reference
The Origin of Language, Edward Vajada - Page 2 http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/vajda/ling201/test1materials/origin_of_language.htm Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2016 - Page 3
Communicating in small groups (11th edition), Steven A. Beebe/John T. Masterson – Page 4
Team Cohesiveness, Boundless.com – Page 4
https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-management-textbook/groups-teams-and-teamwork-6/factors-influencing-team-performance-54/team-cohesiveness-272-3948/